The Miami Heat begin defense of their 2006 NBA Championship when they travel to Chicago to play the Bulls in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. This will be the fifth time these two teams have squared off in the playoffs and the second consecutive year as first round opponents. In 2006 it only took Miami six games to get past Chicago in the best of seven game series. This year Chicago has home court advantage over the Heat based on having the better overall record.
The Bulls, favored by oddsmakers to win game one by a – 4.0 point chalk (182 total), are also favored to win the best of seven series with the Heat. The money line prices favor the Bulls -145 to +125 for the Heat.
Chicago came out on top in the four game series against the Heat this season 3-to-1 SU but only covered ATS 1-of-4 with one push. The total split in the four games with the UNDER and OVER both cashing two times.
In recent betting trends, the Bulls have gone 6-2 ATS in their last eight games while going 10-3 SU in their last 13 games. The total has gone UNDER in five of Chicago’s last six games. Chicago is 4-2 ATS in its last six games in the United Center.
Miami is 0-5 ATS in its last five games and has struggled SU only winning 2-of-4 of its last six games. The total has gone UNDER in four of Miami’s last five games and 9-of-11 games on the road.
While Chicago has the better record the this season and has been a thorn in Miami’s side by taking three of the four game regular season series, Heat coach Pat Riley has something up his sleeve coming into the playoffs.
"I think the team can repeat, regardless of what the situation is," Riley said. "We have a lot of respect for the teams in the Eastern Conference and whoever will be there in the finals, but we're the defending champions. We know what we have to do and how we have to do it and whatever we have to fight through, we're going to do that."
Last years playoffs MVP Dwayne Wade thinks Riley is at his best once the playoffs begin. "He's a better playoff coach than he is in the regular season, and that's saying a lot," Wade said. "But that's why he's won championships. He knows how to get the team to relax, how to get the team to play, and that's what we need. That's why he's our guy."
