:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72179614/1251763962.0.jpg "NBA picks: Heat vs. Bulls prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for play-in game")
The eighth seed in the Eastern Conference will be up for grabs on Friday as the Chicago Bulls will head south to meet the Miami Heat. This play-in tournament matchup will tip at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.
Miami fell to Atlanta 116-105 in its first play-in matchup on Tuesday before Chicago toppled Toronto 109-105 on Wednesday. The winner of this game will face top-seed Milwaukee in the first round of the NBA playoffs, with Game 1 set for Sunday at Fiserv Forum.
Aside from Lonzo Ball, Chicago doesn't have any active players listed on the injury report heading into this matchup and should be healthy. Meanwhile for Miami, Kyle Lowry is dealing with left knee soreness and is listed as questionable. Gabe Vincent is also listed as questionable for the Heat with a right hip pointer.
Miami enters the game as a 5.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is installed at 208.5.
Heat vs. Bulls, 7 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Chicago +5.5
The Bulls had the Heat's number during the regular season, winning all three contests by at least eight points. Miami is also a league-worst 30-50-3 against the spread this season, so the wise choice to bet against them. Take Chicago to cover.
Over/Under: Under 208.5
As was the case for both teams throughout the regular season, they played really ugly games in their respective play-in openers earlier in the week and you can expect the same in this one. This could end up as an ode to the '90's with defense and midrange jumpers prevailing in this contest. Hammer the under as one of these squads could fail to crack 100 points.