Heat Vs. Bulls, Game 2: LeBron James, Miami Tie Series With 85-75 Victory Over Chicago

Turner Sports reports that Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday -- a 85-75 Miami Heat win over the Chicago Bulls -- beat anything aired by any other cable network, ABC, NBC or CBS with a 6.1 rating. That means only FOX triumphed over the NBA. And that means American Idol.

The Miami Heat tied their series vs. the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, and afterward, all eyes were on Udonis Haslem, the Heat co-captain that had the Heat looking better than ever in Game 2.

He missed 69 games this season, and even when he returned in recent games, he looked lost. Overwhelmed and out of shape. And that left the Miami Heat out of luck in Game 1. Wednesday night, though, Haslem was back to his old self, and a 33-45 rebounding disadvantage became a 45-41 advantage for the Heat, who only surrendered three offensive rebounds with Haslem on the floor Wednesday. Is it coincidence that the Heat won? Haslem thinks not.

James wasn’t only productive as a scorer, though: he snagged three rebounds in the final 4:26 of Tuesday night’s game, and had one sequence that included a steal, an offensive rebound, and a putback that stretched the Heat’s lead to more than one possession for good.

Be sure to check out our Heat vs. Bulls hub for full series coverage. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog a Bull and SB Nation Chicago.

In theory, recording a rap anthem for your popular NBA basketball team should be a good thing, as long as you avoid the sort of language that got Allen Iverson’s debut as Jewelz shelved. But you know what doesn’t make the crowd go wild in Chicago? Lyrics like the ones Carlos Boozer tries to kick on “Winning Streak (Chicago Bulls Anthem).”

Boozer leads off the track, and just reading his lyrics lets you know he comes about as correct as whatever the opposite of coming correct is:

No matter what happened Wednesday, Miami and Chicago were a lock to be playing at least through next Tuesday, and probably longer. But thanks to Game 2’s outcome, the next three or four (or five) games just got a thousand times more interesting. There’s nothing worse than an overhyped series where the outcome’s never in doubt. The showdown we’d been waiting for all year long looked totally one-sided in Game 1, and the Bulls defense made the Heat look painfully one-dimensional. LeBron even had a built-in excuse if the Heat lost Game 2.

He changed things on offense, too. He runs the floor better than any forward on either team, and he was 4-4 from the field with nine points in the third quarter, but that doesn’t quite do it justice. It was Haslem’s two dunks in the second half that really changed everything in this series.

Haslem ended up scoring 13 points and grabbing five rebounds, and his impact went greater than that. SB Nation’s Heat blog Peninsula is Mightier noted the impact he made in keeping Chicago off the offensive glass.

Or, to put it another way, he gave the Heat what Taj Gibson gives the Bulls. As SB Nation’s Bulls blog Blog a Bull writes:

There were a lot of things the Heat were doing to slow Chicago down, but the most important factor was how they defended the rim. Chicago had plenty of shots in the paint, but the Heat did an unbelievable job of contesting them and forcing misses without fouling. This shot chart is something to behold.

(via @Clintonite33)

In the end, that’s what all coaches need: someone to make them look smart. Spoelstra rolled the dice by replacing Haslem with Anthony in the back half of the fourth quarter, with the game knotted up in a dogfight. Chicago had incredible trouble scoring late, and a few putbacks could have saved the Bulls -- to allow Anthony in the team, opening up that possibility, was a real risk.

But the Miami defense held, and LeBron took over. Spoelstra took a 20-second timeout with 4-1/2 minutes left; Miami had gone scoreless in five game minutes, and the game was tied at 73. Right out of the timeout, LeBron nailed a three-pointer. He ended up scoring nine in the last 4-1/2 minutes as Miami outscored Chicago 12-2 down the stretch.

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat started with a bang, but ended with a whimper as both teams faded in the second half. Chicago got the worst of it, scoring just 10 points in the final 12 minutes and 29 points in the second half in an 85-75 loss. Even with the poor performance, Chicago still managed to stay within striking distance until a quick LeBron James scoring burst late in the fourth sealed the game and evened the series at one game apiece.

How bad was the fourth quarter for the Bulls? Chicago was just 4-16 from the field in the final frame and missed all five three-point attempts. Derrick Rose was non-existent, missing each of his shot attempts as he, like the rest of the team went cold. The only bright spot, and only player to make a field in the fourth quarter? That would be none other than Taj Gibson, who made all four of Chicago’s baskets in the fourth.

Though the Bulls were able to stay late into this game, they were hampered by poor shooting tonight. They shot 34.1 percent for the field (47.1 for Miami) and made just 3-of-20 from beyond the arc. Derrick Rose made just 7-of-23 shots for a team-high 21 points.

This series shifts to Miami on Sunday, May 22.

This ... is ... CHICAGO.

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Be sure to check out our Heat vs. Bulls hub for full series coverage. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog a Bull and SB Nation Chicago.

While the Bulls held an early rebounding edge, the Heat began to pull down boards in the second quarter to even that category at 20 apiece. Yet, Chicago took advantage in the first quarter when they grabbed seven offensive rebounds. Fouls have evened out as well, 14 for each team.

Be sure to check out our Heat vs. Bulls hub for full series coverage. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog a Bull and SB Nation Chicago.

Video via @jose3030.

Again, not very many NBA players would’ve done a whole lot more than James did there, though it would’ve been nice to see him at least wave an arm or something. But really, why bother? Why risk drawing a foul that would send Deng to the line? That’s an absurd shot that’s almost never going to go in.

The Heat have had issues rebounding in the quarter, usually tipping the ball around instead of taking control of it. The Bulls have been able to pull down seven of their 13 rebounds on the offensive glass. The Heat have also committed a six turnovers and several fouls early on.

Be sure to check out our Heat vs. Bulls hub for full series coverage. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog a Bull and SB Nation Chicago.

GIF of Derrick Rose, ninja bullfighter and survivor of the plush Pamplona, via @blazersedge:

By Sebastian Pruiti

According to Synergy Sports Technology, the Bulls are one of the best defenses when it comes to stopping opponents’ isolation plays. Naturally, you want to get away from the isolation plays (especially when Chicago had so much success stopping it in Game 1), but you have to replace those possessions with other offense.

James spoke in a “nasal tone” at Wednesday’s shootaround, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. It seems hard to believe that he would be dramatically affected in Game 2, but you never know, I guess.

James getting back on track is the biggest step back on the path to Heat success, though. It should be quite a battle between he and Deng. Game 2 begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Be sure to check out our Heat vs. Bulls hub for full series coverage. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog a Bull and SB Nation Chicago.