CHICAGO — And to think that just over a week ago the Miami Heat were limiting their fight and tough-guy routine to their own bench.
Now, from a four-game losing streak that included that contentious courtside moment between forward Jimmy Butler and coach Erik Spoelstra and team captain Udonis Haslem, has come a three-game winning streak and the season’s 50th win.
With each step more impressive than the previous.
This time, the Heat followed up Wednesday night’s victory over the Boston Celtics at the start of this three-game trip with a 127-109 victory Saturday night victory over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
Atop the East, the Heat can assure themselves the conference’s No. 1 seed with a 3-1 finish to the regular season, a schedule that continues Sunday night against the Toronto Raptors.
With the offense lifted to a higher level and the defensive tenacity ongoing, the Heat completed a 4-0 season sweep of the Bulls.
The contributions came across the board for the Heat. There were 19 points and 10 assists from Kyle Lowry, 14 points and seven rebounds from Bam Adebayo, 19 points and six 3-pointers from Tyler Herro and 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists from Jimmy Butler.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 33 points, with DeMar DeRozan scoring 26.
Five Degrees of Heat from Saturday’s game:
— 1. Homecoming 1.0: Butler was in attack mode in his return to Chicago, up to 16 points at the intermission, on the way to his 7-of-12 night from the floor.
Butler, who spent his first six NBA seasons with the Bulls, opened from distance, with a first-quarter 3-pointer, and then took his game into the post in the second period, consistently scoring on the low block against the defense of Chicago’s Coby White.
Butler’s effort helped stake the Heat to a 66-57 halftime lead.
Butler’s 11th point moved him past Brian Grant for 18th on the Heat all-time list.
He then came out and converted another 3-pointer early in the second half.
— 2. Homecoming 2.0: The second round of the Heat’s homecoming weekend comes Sunday, when Lowry returns to play in Toronto.
The veteran point guard, who played the previous nine seasons in Toronto, put together quite the warmup act, including creating a three-shot foul late in the second quarter that was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.
Lowry turned his ankle, limped to the foul line to convert all three free throws, and then appeared fine when he came back for the start of the second half.
Lowry’s eighth assist moved him past Reggie Theus for 29th on the NBA all-time assist list and his ninth moved him past John Lucas for 28th.
He then sat out the fourth quarter because of the lopsided score, closing with just one turnover.
— 3. Rotation stabilization: Even with Caleb Martin available, as well as all 17 players on the roster, Spoelstra remained with the rotation the proved so successful in Wednesday night’s victory in Boston.
That had Dewayne Dedmon, Herro, Duncan Robinson and Gabe Vincent as the four primary reserves.
The starters remained Butler, Adebayo, Lowry, P.J. Tucker and Max Strus.
The prime nine, meant spectator roles for Martin, Victor Oladipo and Markieff Morris, among others.
— 4. Central committee: With Adebayo called for his second foul with 7:14 left in the opening period, Spoelstra had to rush Dedmon into the game.
Adebayo then returned at the start of the second quarter, but was forced to the bench with 2:42 remaining in the second quarter with his third foul. He stood with 10 points and four rebounds at the intermission.
Dedmon picked up where Adebayo left off, also with 10 points and four rebounds in the first half.
Dedmon closed with 14 points and five rebounds.
— 5. Tyler, too: Herro had a most unusual start to his game, with his first three shots blocked, but then 3-pointers on his next three attempts.
It was part of an odd shooting line that had him 6 of 7 on 3-pointers, but 6 of 16 from the field.
As has been the race in recent games, Herro played in attack mode, again solid with his rebounding, closing with eight.
