Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu each contributed 26 points and 24 points, respectively, off the Chicago bench, and the Bulls built a substantial lead before holding on to defeat the Miami Heat 124-116 on Thursday night.

For the Bulls, Nikola Vucevic recorded a total of twenty-four points, twelve rebounds, and seven assists. Although White contributed 11 assists and seven rebounds, DeMar DeRozan led Chicago with 23 points.

The Bulls never trailed after mounting a 33-8 run to begin the contest.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. tallied 22 points for Miami, which was competing in its second consecutive night of play. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler (20 points), Kyle Lowry (17), Caleb Martin (17), and Kevin Love (16).

Boston led Washington by 26 points in the first quarter; Chicago’s 25-point advantage was the second-largest of its kind in the NBA this season. Furthermore, it was the largest lead the Bulls had held in the first quarter of a game since they held a 35-8 lead over Golden State on January 31, 1997, when Michael Jordan missed a jumper.

Then, attempts at a revival commenced. Not a small number, in fact.

Miami reduced the deficit to 14 with the lapse of the first quarter. The Heat then mounted a comeback, closing the gap to 60-56 at intermission with a 27-7 run that helped them regain the lead at that point.

Unabated, the trend persisted. Miami was within three points early in the third period when the Chicago Bulls responded with a 14-point surge. With 7:10 remaining, Lowry missed a layup that brought the Heat within 105-101; Chicago soon reclaimed the lead by 11.

They returned with a free throw by Butler in the final 2:46 seconds, which reduced the deficit to 113-109. The following Chicago possession, however, ended with Dosunmu’s three-pointer; that was the last breath of the Heat.

Alex Caruso rejoined the Chicago lineup, only to be promptly sidelined with an additional injury.

Caruso had been sidelined for the previous two games for the Bulls due to a sprained left ankle. He entered Thursday’s contest with six fast points, but was involved in a collision with Vucevic at 4:45 and sustained the same ankle injury. Following an evaluation in the locker room, he was declared ineligible to play the remainder of the game.

Tyler Herro (ankle), Bam Adebayo (hip), Josh Richardson (back spasms), and Haywood Highsmith (back) were all absent for Miami once more. Herro, however, predicted that he might return prior to Monday’s contest against Minnesota, which will conclude a four-game homestand for the Heat. Herro has missed the last seventeen games.