The NBA playoffs are finally here for the top clubs. Basketball lovers worldwide are preparing for the competition by betting on their favorite team at online sportsbooks.
Fans can use the BetMGM Massachusetts bonus code to bet on their favorite teams in this year’s dramatic playoffs. Will fan-favorite Boston Celtics win? Will you support Steph Curry and the Warriors?
The Eastern Conference’s final game was Friday’s Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat play-in. The former will miss the playoffs.
Jimmy Butler and Max Strus led the Heat most of the game. Strus and Butler tied for a team-best 31 points, one point shy of his career high.
Coach Erik Spoelstra lauded Strus’ efforts. After their eighth-seeded playoff win, Strus’ performance and consistency.
He ignites. Watch out. If he hits two or three, it might be a night like this.”
In 35 years, the Heat have made 24 playoff appearances.
The team won three championships and reached the 2020 finals and the Eastern Conference finals last season.
Coach Spo praised their determination.
“Our team has obviously not been perfect this year,” he conceded. “But I do know one thing about the men in that locker room: The last 48 hours, I know how categorically, unequivocally, how badly and desperately our group wanted to get into this damn thing—and get into the playoffs to compete for a title.”
The loss cruelly ended the Bulls’ season. Since 2015, they haven’t won a postseason game.
Strus’s long-range shooting and Butler’s offense overshadowed power player DeMar DeRozan’s 26 points, four rebounds, and nine assists. In his post-game interview, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said thus.
He lamented. From September through April is a long time to invest. You reminisce. They’re probably disappointed. Since the All-Star break, we were improving as a team. It would have been fantastic to win tonight and advance to the playoffs, but we didn’t.
Butler said Chicago didn’t fight hard. The Heat led by 14 points in the first quarter while Chicago struggled.
Butler claimed no one felt pressure. “We fought.”
The Heat led by 10 points in the third quarter as the Bulls struggled. The Bulls began to fight back in the fourth quarter, leading by six points with five minutes left.
Butler and Strus knotted the score in minutes, raising pressure in the final minutes. Miami was used to clutch games after playing 54 in the regular season.
Alec White’s three-pointer with three minutes left put the Bulls up. This just spurred the Heat, and Chicago was only allowed one more point for the rest of the game. The Bulls struggled when the Heat shined. Miami won and made the playoffs with 15 more points.
The Heat took a 1-0 lead in their first-round series against Milwaukee, but Tyler Herro broke his hand in the first half and will miss several weeks.
Bucks are now 1-1. Saturday, April 22, at 7:30pm EST in Miami is game three.