The Chicago Bulls and the host Miami Heat are set to meet Monday night in a clash of the two top teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Heat, who hold a one-game lead over the Bulls, boast a 20-7 record at home this season.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said his team’s upcoming week against contenders Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia is not a “be all, end all.” He added, “But you also don’t want to brush it off. You can’t just say it’s another game.”
The Bulls had won six in a row before dropping a 116-110 decision to Memphis on Saturday.
Chicago has lost both meetings with Miami this season.
In fact, the Bulls are a combined 1-10 against the six other teams that started this week with a winning percentage of better than .600: Phoenix (0-1), Golden State (0-2), Memphis (0-2), Utah (1-0), Miami (0-2) and Philadelphia (0-3).
Despite the team’s lackluster record in such contests, Chicago guard Coby White said, “We take it as a challenge to play against the better teams.”
The Bulls, who have…