MIAMI – The Miami Heat shrugged off the absence of star forward Jimmy Butler to crush the Chicago Bulls 112-91 in their play-in eliminator on April 19, and earn a clash with Eastern Conference top seeds Boston Celtics in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) play-offs.

In the Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans, also missing their injured key man Zion Williamson, beat the Sacramento Kings 105-98 to set up a first-round series with No. 1 seeds Oklahoma City Thunder.