The Chicago Bulls absorbed a crushing 143–107 defeat to the Miami Heat Friday night at the United Center, a performance marked by defensive breakdowns, rebounding lapses, and a controversial third-quarter ejection that drew immediate backlash from the home crowd.
Chicago entered the Emirates NBA Cup matchup with momentum after consecutive road wins, but Miami dismantled that rhythm with overwhelming physicality on both ends. The Heat controlled the boards, pushed the pace, and punished Chicago’s mistakes—turning the game into the Bulls’ largest deficit of the season by the end of the third quarter.
The turning point came earlier, though, when Kevin Huerter was ejected after a technical foul for an apparent attempt to swat the ball that made contact with an official. Broadcast replay suggested the contact appeared inadvertent, and the quick whistle stunned the crowd. Fans booed immediately, and even the broadcast team questioned whether the decision was excessive.
In his postgame remarks, Coach Billy Donovan shed light on his exchange with crew chief Tony Brothers, noting that the official believed the intent was to hit the ball, not the referee, but still ruled the play an ejectable offense.
The Bulls were already trailing when the ejection occurred, and losing Huerter further disrupted an offense struggling to generate rhythm. Miami seized on every opening, stretching the lead through second-chance baskets, offensive rebounding, and fast-break points.
Statistically, Chicago could not survive the deficit created on the glass. Miami finished plus-14 on rebounds, with Khalil Ware and Bam Adebayo combining for 21 boards, fueling the early surge that deflated Chicago’s energy and allowed Miami to dictate pace throughout the night.
Turnovers compounded the problem. Chicago committed 18 more turnovers than the Heat, which Miami converted into 22 points—one of several categories that reflected how quickly the game slipped into blowout territory.
Donovan emphasized that Chicago drifted away from its ball-movement identity that fueled recent wins. “We’re just not built to play isolation basketball,” he said after the game. “We need screening action, ball movement, player movement.”
Josh Giddey delivered another strong individual outing with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists before exiting late following an inadvertent elbow to the face. Ayo Dosunmu added timely scoring, but the Bulls never found traction on either end.
Miami’s victory boosts its position in NBA Cup Group C, where point differential is a crucial tiebreaker. The 37-point margin delivered a major boost for the Heat while creating a steep uphill climb for Chicago, now 1–2 in group play.
With the Wizards arriving Saturday for the second game of a back‑to‑back, the Bulls will have little time to regroup. Donovan said the team must learn quickly from Friday’s breakdowns, especially on defense and the glass, before returning to the floor.