Bam Adebayo’s double-double steadies Heat as Miami holds off Bulls rally in Chicago thriller

Heat complete makeup game with late defensive stand at United Center

The Miami Heat edged the Chicago Bulls 116-113 on Thursday night, January 29, 2026, at the United Center, surviving a fourth-quarter comeback in a game that was rescheduled after an earlier postponement. Bam Adebayo anchored Miami with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Norman Powell led the Heat in scoring with 21 points.

The matchup was the makeup date for the teams’ January 8 meeting in Chicago, which did not begin as scheduled and was ultimately postponed because moisture on the floor made the court unsafe. The rescheduling created an unusual stretch in which Miami and Chicago are set to meet three times in close succession.

How Miami built — and nearly lost — control

Miami established a cushion early, winning the first half 62-51 behind balanced production and steady half-court execution. The Heat’s advantage stretched to 13 in the fourth quarter, including a 104-92 lead with 8:02 remaining, before Chicago mounted a late surge.

The Bulls’ rally was driven by guard Ayo Dosunmu, who finished with a game-high 23 points. Chicago closed the game by outscoring Miami 21-12 over the final 8:02, repeatedly forcing the Heat into pressure possessions and tightening the score in the final minute.

Final-sequence execution decides one-possession finish

Chicago’s late push included key baskets by Dosunmu and a turnaround hook shot from Nikola Vucevic, who posted 15 points and 10 rebounds. After a series of free throws from both teams, the Bulls had a chance to tie or take the lead in the closing seconds.

With seven seconds left, Chicago’s Coby White made two free throws to trim Miami’s lead to one. Miami answered immediately when Pelle Larsson scored a dunk with two seconds remaining, pushing the margin back to three. White’s final three-point attempt missed, sealing the Heat’s road win.

Stat leaders and supporting contributions

• Miami: Norman Powell 21 points; Bam Adebayo 20 points, 12 rebounds; Pelle Larsson 15 points.

• Chicago: Ayo Dosunmu 23 points; Nikola Vucevic 15 points, 10 rebounds; Matas Buzelis 16 points; Kevin Huerter 15 points; Coby White 14 points.

Miami’s ability to protect its advantage at the line and convert a late, high-percentage look at the rim proved decisive in a game that tightened into a final-possession finish.

What’s next in a compressed mini-series

The result opens a three-game cluster between the same opponents created by the rescheduled January 29 contest. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Miami on Saturday night, January 31, 2026, continuing an uncommon back-to-back-to-back sequence between Eastern Conference rivals.

For the Heat, the Chicago win was a test of late-game composure after surrendering a sizable fourth-quarter lead. For the Bulls, the rally underscored their ability to generate offense quickly in high-leverage minutes, even when playing from behind.