Heat 143, Bulls 107: Bulls simply can’t overcome Heat in a meaningful basketball game

Why can’t the Chicago Bulls win a meaningful game against the Miami Heat?

No, the NBA Cup isn’t as big a deal as the Play-In Tournament the last three years or the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011. But the Bulls had an opportunity to put themselves in a position to advance beyond the Group Stage for the first time ever with a win (and a win next Friday against Charlotte), and they came up definitively short, losing 143-107.

Heading into the evening, the Bucks at 2-0 were firmly atop the Group C standings. With a win against the Bulls, they’d have had a better outright record to advance as the group winner.

There was still a chance they could advance as a wild card — the Bulls were tied with the Knicks and Heat at 1-1 heading into the game, with a -6 point differential and one of their wins coming against the Knicks.

Since they lost, and by a 36-point margin, it will effectively knock them out of contention to advance beyond the Group Play stage.

It didn’t help that Matas Buzelis tweaked his ankle in the third quarter. He returned, but appeared to be moving gingerly. Isaac Okoro tweaked his lower back in the third quarter and never returned. Then Kevin Huerter was ejected after swiping at the ball, knocking it towards and eventually hitting a ref. Dalen Terry (calf) also left the game and never returned. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Noa Essengue was assigned to the Windy City Bulls — it would have been a perfect opportunity for him to get his first NBA minutes.

Up next: The Bulls have a chance to wash this game out of their mouths on Saturday night against the Washington Wizards. They will induct Johnny Bach, Norm Van Lier, Neil Funk, Horace Grant, John Paxson and Bill Cartwright.

Tune into the CHGO Bulls postgame live:

Jalen Smith has provided productive minutes for the Bulls of late — he was particularly effective against the Denver Nuggets, putting up 16 points and eight rebounds, following it up with 14 points and five blocks against the Heat.

“He’s been great,” Billy Donovan said.“He’s done a really good job this year. He stretched the floor really well for us. He’s had good presence and physicality at the basket on the defensive end.”

With Zach Collins (wrist) on the mend and expected to rejoin the Bulls for practice next week, Smith’s playing time comes into question. Last season, after they acquired Collins, Smith was reduced to the third-string role behind Nikola Vucevic and Collins.

“We may have to look at playing two bigs together some, or even playing three bigs rotationally, because I think, again, the game has gotten so much faster,” Donovan said. “It’s really, really hard for bigs to play really, really extended periods at that pace, or even guards, for that matter. So I think we’ve got to find ways to utilize all three of them as best we can.”

Donovan says it’s unlikely they will play all three together every night — it may instead be more situational or matchup dependent, whether that be playing two bigs together or staggering all three. The key, however, will be maintaining the identity.

“With that being said, which you’ve got to be able to do, I think when you’re looking at playing big is, can you maintain your identity and your style of play and how you want to play on both ends of the floor,” he posed.

— Will Gottlieb

Everybody enjoy this little preview of Play In Tournament Part IV?

The Erik Spoelstra Heat will always give the Bulls fits, no matter who’s on the floor. An ugly, grind-it-out game, disallowing the Bulls their comfort zone of up-tempo offense.

Really nice to have Tre Jones back. He put his usual positive impact on the game on both sides. When the Bulls hopefully get everyone healthy soon, and he’s in that second unit with Ayo Dosunmu behind Coby White and Josh Giddey…that’s a heck of a guard rotation.

— Matt Peck

I saw Buzelis go down, so my brain shut down for a second. Give me a minute.

Ok. He’s back on the court. I can now continue.

That second quarter was… ooof. At one point, the Heat had outscored the Bulls 24-7. The Heat continually forced the Bulls out of their comfort zone. They made the Bulls play in the half-court, where they are not great. Wouldn’t allow the Bulls to do what they like to do. Spoelstra is so good. I hate him (with love and respect).

That Red Velvet ejection was trash. Classic Tony Brothers stuff.

I was surprised Coby White didn’t play tonight. Didn’t think they would hold him out on a back-to-back with the ‘Zards on the schedule.

The free-throw discrepancy was wild. But again, Tony Brothers’ stuff.

Ok, that’s all I got. The Bulls got their ass whipped. On to Washington.

— Big Dave