Life in the NBA is about as good as it gets right now for the defending champion Miami Heat.
Leading scorer LeBron James just picked up his fourth NBA Most Valuable Player award and the team got some much-needed rest following a convincing sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks during the First Round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs.
The pride of South Beach will take one step closer to claiming a second-consecutive title when they host the Chicago Bulls on Monday, May 6th. Tip time for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals is set for 7:00pm, EDT with coverage available on the TNT television network.
While the Heat have shown the ability to dominate games this season, the challenge to win another ring takes a significant spike in difficulty as the Chicago Bulls enter on an emotional high following their Game 7 win over the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs.
The Bulls will surely come in motivated but the Heat know any added bulletin board material or extra mental preparation is not needed to get ready for what should be a very physical series.
"Them being the Bulls is enough," Heat forward Chris Bosh told NBA.com reporters. "Heat-Bulls, I think that's enough to really get your minds going and have some passion for the series. I think given our history before, that's enough to lace 'em up and get going."
The Heat and Bulls split their regular season schedule as each won 2 games including a 101-97 Chicago win that ended a 27-game win streak by the Heat.
With everything on the line as the postseason moves on, Chicago knows they'll have to be in rare form when they meet the champs in South Beach for Game 1.
"We know how good Miami is," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. "We're going to have to be at our best, or playing great basketball. "They're a very deep team, extremely well-coached so we're going to have to be at our best, right from the start."
The Heat looked dominant in their sweep of the Bucks and while Miami is nearly 100% healthy - guard Dwayne Wade is day-to-day with bone bruises around his right knee - the Bulls are banged up in key areas.
Forward Luol Deng and guard Kirk Hinrich have been battling injury throughout the postseason and their status for Game 1 against Miami remains up in the air.
Also absent from the Chicago line-up is star point guard Derrick Rose. Rose hasn't played in over a year following reconstructive knee surgery and there is no clear indication on when the playmaker will return to the Bulls' starting five.
Regardless of who suits up for both teams, Miami and Chicago know their task remains the same moving forward.
"We game plan with the awareness of everybody," Heat head man Erik Spoelstra said to NBA.com reporters. "The majority of what we do won't change. We've built up these habits."
With a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals the next step towards claiming a championship, the series between Miami and Chicago promises to be entertaining no matter who takes the floor for either team.
Watch Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls Monday, May 6th at 7:00pm, EDT. Coverage of the clash will be available through the TNT television network.
Watch Chicago End Miami's 27-game Win Streak:
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