Earlier, the Miami Heat shrugged off the absence of star forward Jimmy Butler to crush the Chicago Bulls 112-91 in their play-in eliminator and earn a clash with the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

It is the second straight season that Miami have earned the eighth-seed spot via the play-in tournament and they will play the Celtics for the fourth time in the last five post-seasons.

Butler suffered a sprained MCL knee ligament in Thursday’s defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers and faces several weeks out.

The 34-year-old has led the Heat to two NBA Finals, including last year’s run, which included an Eastern Conference Finals win over the Celtics.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had insisted that his team had the personnel to cope with the loss of their talisman and they illustrated that in a convincing home win.

Point guard Tyler Herro was the main man with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, but he was well supported by rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. and veteran Kevin Love.

Jaquez put up 21 points with six rebounds and six assists, while Love, coming off the bench, made 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

The Heat were also without point guard Terry Rozier, who remains out with a neck injury, but they stormed out in the first quarter, putting up a 19-0 run and ending the opening period 34-17 up.

It was a lead they never relinquished, with a 14-0 run in the second helping them reach a half-time lead of 47-37.

Demar DeRozan top scored for the Bulls with 22 points, but Chicago never truly threatened to turn the game around in the second half.

Herro said he had set out to emulate Butler’s all-round contribution for Miami.

“There are a lot of people who try to determine the outcome of a game by how many points someone scores and I think Jimmy Butler does the opposite of that,” he said.

“He impacts the game in so many different ways, sharing the ball, making the right plays for his team-mates, and I tried to be as much as I could of Jimmy tonight, just trying to make the right play, give my guys shots and not force anything,” he said.

“Obviously it was a great team win for us overall, I’m just excited to be back in the playoffs, healthy and ready to roll,” he added.

The Celtics, however, will start as strong favorites against Miami, with Boston notching a league-high 64 wins this season.

FULL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
(All times in AEST)

First Round – East

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat

Game 1: Monday, April 22 at Boston (3am, ABC)

Game 2: Thursday, April 25 at Boston (9am, TNT)

Game 3: Sunday, April 28 at Miami (8am, TNT)

Game 4: Tuesday, April 30 at Miami (TBA)

Game 5*: Thursday, May 2 at Boston (TBA)

Game 6*: Saturday, May 4 at Miami (TBA)

Game 7*: Monday, May 6 at Boston (TBA)

(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers

Game 1: Sunday, April 21 at New York (8am, ESPN)

Game 2: Tuesday, April 23 at New York (9.30am, TNT)

Game 3: Saturday, April 27 at Philadelphia (9.30am, TNT)

Game 4: Monday, April 29 at Philadelphia (3am, ABC)

Game 5*: Wednesday, May 1 at New York (TBA)

Game 6*: Friday, May 3 at Philadelphia (TBA)

Game 7*: Sunday, May 5 at New York (TBA)

(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Indiana Pacers

Game 1: Sunday, April 21 at Milwaukee (9am, TNT)

Game 2: Tuesday, April 23 at Milwaukee (10.30am, NBA TV)

Game 3: Friday, April 26 at Indiana (7.30am, ESPN)

Game 4: Sunday, April 28 at Indiana 9am, TNT)

Game 5*: Tuesday, April 30 at Milwaukee (TBA)

Game 6*: Thursday, May 2 at Indiana (TBA)

Game 7*: Saturday, May 4 at Milwaukee (TBA)

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Orlando Magic

Game 1: Sunday, April 21 at Cleveland (3am, ESPN)

Game 2: Tuesday, April 23 at Cleveland (9am, NBA TV)

Game 3: Friday, April 26 at Orlando (9am, NBA TV)

Game 4: Sunday, April 28 at Orlando (3am, TNT)

Game 5*: Wednesday, May 1 at Cleveland (TBA)

Game 6*: Saturday, May 4 at Orlando (TBA)

Game 7*: Monday, May 6 at Cleveland (TBA)

First Round – West

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans

Game 1: Monday, April 22 at Oklahoma City (11.30am, TNT)

Game 2: Thursday, April 25 at Oklahoma City (11.30am, TNT)

Game 3: Sunday, April 28 at New Orleans (5.30am, TNT)

Game 4: Tuesday, April 30 at New Orleans (TBA)

Game 5*: Thursday, May 2 at Oklahoma City (TBA)

Game 6*: Saturday, May 4 at New Orleans (TBA)

Game 7*: Monday, May 6 at Oklahoma City (TBA)

(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

Game 1: Sunday, April 21 at Denver (10.30am, ABC)

Game 2: Tuesday, April 23 at Denver (12pm, TNT)

Game 3: Friday, April 24 at Los Angeles (12pm, TNT)

Game 4: Sunday, April 28 at Los Angeles (10.30am, ABC)

Game 5*: Tuesday, April 30 at Denver (TBA)

Game 6*: Friday, May 3 at Los Angeles (TBA)

Game 7*: Sunday, May 5 at Denver (TBA)

(3) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (6) Phoenix Suns

Game 1: Sunday, April 21 at Minnesota (5.30am, ESPN)

Game 2: Wednesday, April 24 at Minnesota (9.30am, TNT)

Game 3: Saturday, April 27 at Phoenix (12.30pm, ESPN)

Game 4: Monday, April 29 at Phoenix (11.30am, TNT)

Game 5*: Wednesday, May 1 at Minnesota (TBA)

Game 6*: Friday, May 3 at Phoenix (TBA)

Game 7*: Sunday, May 5 at Minnesota (TBA)

(4) LA Clippers vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks

Game 1: Monday, April 22 at Los Angeles (5.30am, ABC)

Game 2: Wednesday, April 24 at Los Angeles (12pm, TNT)

Game 3: Saturday, April 27 at Dallas (10am, ESPN)

Game 4: Monday, April 29 at Dallas (5.30am, ABC)

Game 5*: Thursday, May 2 at Los Angeles (TBA)

Game 6*: Saturday, May 4 at Dallas (TBA)

Game 7*: Sunday, May 6 at Los Angeles (TBA)