Josh Giddey recorded his seventh triple-double of the season and powered the Chicago Bulls to a 119-111 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night at the United Center.
Giddey finished with 28 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists as Chicago (37-43) moved one game ahead of Miami (36-44) for ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
With the victory, the Bulls kept pressure on the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks, who are now just a half-game ahead.
The win also gave the Bulls a season sweep over the Heat, taking all three meetings between the two teams.
Chicago shot 51.7% from the field and hit 14 of 37 three-point attempts, while also going a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line.
The Bulls controlled the glass with a 46-39 rebounding advantage, including 10 offensive boards.
Kevin Huerter contributed 22 points and seven assists, while Nikola Vucevic added 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Coby White scored 18 points and hit all eight of his free-throw attempts, and rookie Matas Buzelis chipped in 17 points while shooting 60% from the floor.
Miami entered the game having won seven of its last 10, rebounding from a 10-game losing streak, but was unable to contain Chicago’s balanced offensive attack.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 30 points on 13-for-26 shooting, while Bam Adebayo added 18 points and six rebounds.
Davion Mitchell posted 17 points and eight assists off the bench, giving the visitors a lift in the second half.
Andrew Wiggins returned to the Heat lineup after a six-game absence due to a hamstring injury and scored 14 points in 27 minutes.
The Heat made a run late in the third quarter, trimming a 14-point deficit down to five after Mitchell hit a three to cut it to 100-95.
Chicago responded with a 10-2 run capped by Giddey’s assist to Huerter, pushing the lead back to double digits.
The Bulls’ defense limited Miami to 47.8% shooting overall and just 36.4% from beyond the arc.
Miami also struggled at the free-throw line, converting only 11 of 17 attempts (64.7%).
Despite Adebayo and Herro combining for 48 points, the Heat failed to get consistent contributions from the supporting cast.
Haywood Highsmith had eight rebounds and four assists but scored just five points, while Duncan Robinson went 1-for-6 from the floor.
The loss pushed Miami into 10th place, setting up a potential play-in matchup against the ninth-seeded Bulls.
Both teams remain in the hunt for a higher seed, with each having two games left in the regular season.
Giddey has now recorded four triple-doubles in his last nine games, helping the Bulls surge down the stretch with eight wins in their last 11 contests.
With the win, Chicago improved to 26-24 in Eastern Conference play and gained another tiebreaker advantage with its sweep of Miami.
