But the Bulls have their number. Tom Thibodeau's squad halted the Heat's 27-game winning streak and delivered their first loss of this postseason as well.
Miami figured to come out playing angry in Game 2, but not even the most ardent fan would have predicted the Heat would be up by 45 points with just over eight minutes left. Miami excelled in every facet of the game, resulting in a total annihilation of the Bulls.
The games could not have been more different, but the bottom line is that the Heat were supposed to be heading to Chicago up 2-0. Now they enter hostile territory needing to steal a road win to keep the series even.
Time: Friday, May 10, 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: United Center, Chicago, Ill.
Series Record: Tied 1-1
TV: ESPN
Game 3 Key Storyline: Who Will Lose Their Cool First?
The biggest question mark looming over Game 3 is actually three questions. Will Deng play? Will Hinrich play? Will Derrick Rose play?
It's very difficult to speculate, but suffice it to say that Deng watched the first game of the series from a hospital bed, Hinrich's calf has hobbled him and Rose hasn't played a game all year.
As answers to those questions remain pending, the biggest storyline on Friday will be the ongoing MMA-esque soap opera that this bitter matchup has devolved into.
Following a gritty, physical battle in Game 1, the teams got downright nasty in Game 2. The referees may have been overly sensitive in calling some early technicals, but the blowout featured copious hard fouls, chippy plays and griping to officials.
The refs might need new whistles for the next game after they wore them out on Wednesday. When it was all over, 51 personal fouls, nine technicals and one flagrant had been called. Joakim Noah and LeBron James tussled in the first half, prompting double technicals; that was merely a prelude.
One sequence early in the fourth quarter got particularly ugly. With Miami leading by 35 points, Chris Andersen apparently goaltended a Marquis Teague shot, but no call was made on the play.
After Ray Allen converted a layup at the other end, Noah—who was sitting on the bench at the time—stepped on the court to argue the goaltending non-call, picking up his second tech and an ejection. Taj Gibson then picked up two lightning-quick technical fouls for shouting some NSFW words at the refs, and assistant coaches basically had to drag him into the locker room.
Through it all, Miami played a fine game and responded just as they needed to. The bitter aftertaste of its Game 2 shellacking will linger on Chicago's tongue, and the Bulls will do their best to rough up LeBron and Dwyane Wade with physical play and tough fouls.
If the Bulls can get Miami whining, that will help keep the Heat out of rhythm. They love to draw contact but hate getting roughed up.
But Chicago must maintain its cool after letting things get out of hand.
The next two games at the United Center figure to be a continuation of the slugfest, but the Heat won't find easy buckets like they did on Wednesday.
Series Star So Far: LeBron James
James almost wins this distinction by default, as the entire Bulls roster was heinously inconsistent from Game 1 to Game 2.
LeBron has been Miami's best player by far, although Ray Allen posted a stellar stat line in Game 2 (21 points, 5-of-7 from the field, 10-of-10 from the line) and Shane Battier finished with a plus-42 rating in 22 minutes.
But LeBron has led the way as usual, racking up 43 points (on 15-of-29 shooting), 16 assists, 13 rebounds and five steals in the two games. And the crazy thing is that James hasn't even played that well. He can facilitate or dominate, and the Bulls will have to pick their poison.
Projected Starting Lineups
Miami: Mario Chalmers, PG; Dwyane Wade, SG; LeBron James, SF; Udonis Haslem, PF; Chris Bosh, C
Chicago: Nate Robinson, PG; Marco Belinelli, SG; Jimmy Butler, SF; Carlos Boozer, PF; Joakim Noah, C
Prediction: Bulls 98, Heat 91
