The Chicago Bulls play host to the Miami Heat at United Center on Saturday.

The Heat (12-7) come into this matchup winning five of their last seven games, beating some of the worst teams in the NBA in that stretch. That overshadows a somewhat disappointing stretch prior, with Miami posting a 6-6 record over their last 12 games. They've also lost most of those games against tough competition, and it has a lot of people wondering if this is one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. In any case, this record would indicate that they are, and the roster would too. Tyler Herro has arguably been the most critical piece for this team, averaging over 20 points per game and establishing himself as the frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year.

The Bulls (13-7) have one of the best records in the NBA, and they continue to stifle their opponents. This new-look Chicago club ranks Top-5 in both points allowed and defensive efficiency, gelling beautifully on that end of the floor. That's amazing since they've been playing without Nikola Vucevic for the last two weeks, with the big man returning two days ago after a battle with COVID. He's had down numbers by his standards, and it's incredible that this club has done so well with him struggling. The wing duo of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan has been the key for this club, averaging over 50 points per game combined. That's scary since Vooch will inevitably get back to his 20-10 ways, making this one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.

These teams played three times last year, with Miami winning two of three. That gives the Heat 10 wins in their previous 13 meetings with the Bulls, dating back five years.