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MIAMI -- The Miami Heat moved up into a fourth-place tie in the Eastern Conference, and the Chicago Bulls have virtually moved out of the playoffs altogether. That was the end result of Thursday's game in which Dwyane Wade scored 21 points to lead Miami to a 106-98 win over Chicago at AmericanAirlines Arena.
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Two Heat players had double-doubles -- point guard Goran Dragic and center Hassan Whiteside each had 16 rebounds and 12 rebounds.
Whiteside sparked the defense. It was his block of a Derrick Rose layup with 3:50 left in the game that protected Miami's 87-86 lead and led to a Wade 3-point play on the other end.
"Hassan, that's his gift," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He has the ability to protect the rim.
"With dynamic wing scorers like (Chicago's Jimmy) Butler and Rose, you have to have somebody back there who is going to clean up mistakes."
Whiteside leads the NBA in blocked shots and defensive rating, but Spoelstra clearly wants more.
"He's getting better on his pick-and-roll defense," Spoelstra said of Whiteside. "We are still pushing Hassan to get to another level."
The Heat (46-32), as a team, is trying to do the same thing. Miami started the night in fifth place in the Eastern Conference but with the win tied the idle Boston Celtics for fourth.
Chicago (39-40), which has three games left in its season, fell 3.5 games behind the Indiana Pacers in the battle for the final playoff spot in the East. The Pacers can clinch a playoff berth by winning any one of their final four games or with one Bulls loss.
If Chicago falls short, this would be the first time since 2008 that the Bulls will miss the playoffs.
Miami swept its four-game season series against Chicago for the first time since 2003-2004.
The Bulls were powered by Pau Gasol, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Jimmy Butler (25 points) and Derrick Rose (17 points).
Chicago led early, never trailing in the first quarter and taking a 22-21 lead into the second. The Bulls extended their lead to 46-40 at halftime as Gasol went into the break with 13 points and eight rebounds.
"We had good looks in the first half," Dragic said. "We just couldn't make shots."
After struggling in the first half (39.5 percent shooting and five turnovers), the Heat had an efficient third quarter, shooting 66.7 percent with no turnovers.
That allowed Miami to surge ahead 75-69 after three quarters. The key sequence came when the score was tied 69-69, and Whiteside had a four-point possession. He was flagrant-fouled by Doug McDermott and made both free throws. The Heat, who also got the ball after the foul shots, then went back to Whiteside, who made a layup.
"I wasn't mad or anything," said Whiteside, who has had a history of getting upset and ejected in those types of situations. "I was going to dunk if he didn't foul me."
In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Miami went on a 14-4 run to clinch the game.
"The second half really got us," Rose said. "The third quarter they scored (35) points, and that changed the game. We played nonchalant. We gave them a lot of confidence, especially their bench players."
Gasol said defense has been the Bulls' problem.
"We haven't given it enough importance on a game-to-game basis," he said. "We haven't been able to put together the intensity and effort required on the defensive end."
NOTES: Heat SG Tyler Johnson, who had rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder Feb. 3, said he's "70-percent" likely to return in time for the start of the playoffs. He hasn't played since Jan. 26. ... Heat G Josh Richardson leads all NBA rookies this season in three-point shooting, at 50 percent entering Thursday. TNT's Shaquille O'Neal this week gave Richardson a new nickname. He called him BRA, which stands for Baby Ray Allen. ... Chicago hasn't had a winning month since December, when it went 8-7. ... Chicago has used 22 different starting lineups this season, and 15 different players have earned starts. ... Bulls SG Jimmy Butler is one of just three NBA players this season to get at least 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a game. The other players are Houston G James Harden Warriors F Draymond Green.
