Miserable offensive performance costs Miami Heat in blowout loss to lowly Chicago Bulls

Wednesday should have been a perfect opportunity for the Miami Heat to get back on the right side of .500. The Chicago Bulls came to Miami with the third worst record in the Eastern Conference, on the tail end of a back-to-back and without starting guard Zach LaVine, who suffered an injury in the Bulls’ loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.

Instead, the Heat began a three-game homestand with one of its worst losses of the season, a 105-89 defeat at the hands of Chicago in front of 19,600 at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat, which trailed 50-48 at halftime, melted down offensively in the second half and let reserve post player Bobby Portis dominate the fourth quarter to bury Miami for a blowout win.

Portis scored 15 of his 26 points in the final period and the Heat (24-25) scored just 19 total in the final frame. Portis went 7 of 19 from the floor in the fourth, sinking his lone three-point attempt. Miami shot just 34.9 percent from the floor and 23.8 percent from three-point range in the second half, and finished the game at 38.2 and 28.6.

It began with an abysmal start for the Heat, which held out Dwyane Wade due to a sore right knee. The Bulls (12-40) shot 14 of 22 from the floor in the first quarter and held Miami to 8 of 23 to race out to a 31-21 lead at AAA. The Heat couldn’t stop Chicago’s post players from getting to the rim at will — center Robin Lopez scored nine of his 13 points in the first quarter alone — and Miami settled for 13 three-pointers, making only three of them.

The Heat stabilized by halftime, then opened the third quarter on an 11-3 run to take its largest lead at 59-53. The Bulls hit right back with a 12-0 run and took a 78-68 lead into the fourth quarter.

Then Portis took over and Miami’s offense could never respond. Guard Tyler Johnson led the way for the Heat with a team-high 15 points, and only four other players even cracked double figures. Star center Hassan Whiteside, who was next closest with eight points, played only 15 minutes and once again didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter.

This story was originally published January 30, 2019 at 9:55 PM.