Miami Heat's Nikola Jovic and Pelle Larsson Getting Healthier

Larsson, the Heat's 2024 second round pick, last played on April 7 and ended up spraining his ankle while lifting weights ahead of their game against the Chicago Bulls two days later. Larsson averaged 10.5 points, four rebounds, three assists and 2.2 steals as a starter in his last six games played, while Andrew Wiggins was out with injury.

Veteran big man Love has been away from the team due to personal reasons.

Jovic, the Heat's first round pick in 2022, last played on Feb. 23 when he fractured a metacarpal in his right hand and is averaging about 11 points, four rebounds and three assists for the season.

"He's made a ton of progress," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said about Jovic. "You know one thing he's been able to do all along is work out, you know, do a lot of lifting and conditioning, everything that was allowed to do with his hand, he was able to do it. So, he looks great, his body fat is great, his conditioning level for not playing in a game is, really, at a high level, and then the last two, three weeks he's been able to do considerable player development."

For the Bulls, guard Josh Giddey told reporters he will play tomorrow.

Here's the rest of the injury report and game preview:

HEAT

Pelle Larsson: Questionable - Ankle

Nikola Jovic: Questionable - Hand

Kevin Love: Questionable - Personal Reasons

Dru Smith: Out - Achilles

Isaiah Stevens: Out - Foot

BULLS

Josh Giddey: Available - Forearm

Dalen Terry: Questionable - Calf

Tre Jones: Out - Foot

Lonzo Ball: Out - Wrist

Ayo Dosunmu: Out - Shoulder

How To Watch Miami Heat-Chicago Bulls, Lineups, Injury Report, Betting Line

Game time: 7:30 p.m., United Center, Chicago

Betting line: Heat +1, DraftKings

VITALS: The Miami Heat (10th seed) are lining up against the ninth-seeded Chicago Bulls in this game, as part of the Play-In Tournament. The winner of this game will then go on to play against the winner of the game between the Orlando Magic and the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the Playoffs and play the first-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Heat and Bulls matched up three times this season. The Bulls won all three matchups, (133-124 on Feb. 4, 114-109 on March 8 and 119-111 on April 9). The Heat won three of four matchups against the Bulls last season. The Heat are 64-68 all-time versus the Bulls during the regular season, including 37-29 in home games and 27-39 in road games.

PROJECTED STARTERS

HEAT

G Tyler Herro

G Alec Burks

C Kel'el Ware

F Andrew Wiggins

F Bam Adebayo

BULLS

G Josh Giddey

G Coby White

C Nikola Vucevic

F Kevin Huerter

F Matas Buzelis

QUOTABLE

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: "It makes you feel alive, that's for damn sure. Anything that just raises the stakes. Again, you know, I've mentioned it, our locker room doesn't feel this way but, certainly on the outside you think 'oh this is the nine playing the 10, what does that mean?' Well it means a lot. We have an opportunity. Get a win, get us closer to another game to ideally get another win to get in this party. But it's going to be competitive, that's what I'm looking forward to see: to see if it can bring out a higher level and that's what I expect."

Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at toledoalexander22@gmail.com. Twitter: @tropicalblanket