MIAMI-. The chants began to echo in the fourth period. “We want Boston,” the crowd continued shouting in Miamiand again.
Your wish will be fulfilled. There will be a repeat of the last two Eastern Conference finals but this time in the first round of the playoffs.
Tyler Herro scored 24 points and was one assist shy of a triple double, Mexican rookie Jaime Jáquez Jr. added 21 points and the heat took over the last available ticket to the playoffs in the East, beating the Los Angeles 112-91 on Friday. Chicago Bulls.
“I really appreciate the things you can't buy. The ones you have to earn,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We had to earn this. There is no way to influence it to happen. There is no money that can buy it. In reality, you have to come together and achieve it as a collective. And we had to do it the hard way, just to seal this first passage and to get the invitation to the dance.”
Kevin Love scored 16 points and Bam Adebayo added 13 for Miami, which won a do-or-die duel in the playoff mini-tournament.
Miami's reward is the new duel against the Celtics. The Heat seem to have the role of victim against the great favorite to win the NBA championship.
“In the end, we just have to rely on that Miami Heat culture and our resilience,” said Jáquez. “We have two games in Boston. We have to set the pace from the beginning, impose our will on them and make the game tough.”
Miami will be without Jimmy Butler against Boston due to a right knee injury. He played again without point guard Terry Rozier, who remains hampered by a neck problem.
It didn't matter much, the Heat took control over the Bulls with a 19-0 attack in the first period and a 14-0 attack midway through the second half, to take the suspense out of the game.
Herro finished with 10 rebounds and nine assists, and the Heat eliminated the Bulls in the final game of the East mini-tournament for the second straight year.
