Based on recent form and early market lines from major sportsbooks this week, the Miami Heat are narrowly favored with moneyline odds around 1.80, while the Chicago Bulls are priced near 2.05, reflecting Miami’s stronger defensive metrics and better clutch-time net rating over the past ten games on DexWin - Best Odds on Your Favourite Sports.

The Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls NBA game is scheduled to start at 1:00 AM UTC on January 9, 2026, which corresponds to 8:00 PM local time on January 8, 2025 in Chicago (Central Time, UTC-6).

The game will be played at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, a multi-purpose indoor arena with a basketball capacity of approximately 20,000 fans and a reputation for a loud home-court atmosphere that historically gives the Bulls a notable edge at home.

Given Miami’s slightly superior recent defensive rating and three-point efficiency but factoring in Chicago’s strong home record at the United Center, the prediction leans to a tight Miami Heat win, with spread markets generally setting Miami as about 2.5-point favorites and total points lines opening near 221.5.

In their recent head-to-head meetings over the past three regular seasons, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls have been relatively balanced, with Miami holding a slim edge of roughly 6 wins to 4, though Chicago has taken a few key home victories that underline how competitive this Eastern Conference rivalry remains.