Bulls vs. Heat prediction, odds, line, start time: Advanced computer model releases NBA picks for Friday, April 14, play-in matchup

The Miami Heat will look to avoid going 0-4 against the Chicago Bulls this season when the teams meet in an Eastern Conference play-in matchup in Miami on Friday. The winner will then face the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs beginning Sunday in Milwaukee. The Bulls (41-42), winners of five of the past seven games, including three in a row, have made it to the postseason in 10 of the past 15 seasons. The Heat (44-39), coming off a 116-105 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, have won four of their last six games.

The game will tip off at 7 p.m. ET from Kaseya Center. Miami is a 4.5-point favorite at Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 209 (see up-to-date odds for every game this week on our NBA odds4page). 

Before making any Bulls vs. Heat picks, you NEED to check out the NBA predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters the 2023 NBA Play-in Tournament a stunning 71-36 on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone following it has seen HUGE returns!

The model knows small forward Jimmy Butler, who has missed some time due to personal reasons, is expected back on Friday. He is averaging a team-high 22.9 points per game, and is averaging 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 64 games, all starts. Butler has reached double-figure scoring in 63 games, including 43 with 20 or more points, and 10 with 30 or more. He has also registered 11 double-doubles. In two games against the Bulls this season, Butler averaged 24 points, 7.5 rebounds and two assists.

The model also knows Chicago shooting guard Zach LaVine is coming off a monster game against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. In that game, he poured in 39 points, grabbed six rebounds and had three assists as Chicago wiped out a double-digit first-half deficit to defeat Toronto. In 77 games, all starts, LaVine averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 35.9 minutes. In two games against Miami this year, he is averaging 19.5 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Now, it has set its sights on Bulls vs. Heat. We can tell you the model is leaning Over on the point total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any NBA picks.

So who wins Bulls vs. Heat? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Join SportsLine now to find out, all from the model that has crushed its top-rated NBA picks against the spread!