CHICAGO — Thursday’s matchup between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center faced an unexpected postponement following a prolonged delay of nearly two hours, due to a slippery court surface.
Officials attributed the postponement to “court conditions,” as moisture had accumulated on the floor. The United Center, which also hosts the Chicago Blackhawks, had seen hockey action the day before and was scheduled for another game on Friday. Attempts were made to dry the court with mops and towels.
The final decision to postpone the game came at 8:53 p.m., much to the dismay of fans who expressed their disappointment. The new date for the matchup remains to be determined.
Prior to the postponement, the Bulls were looking to break a three-game losing streak, standing at 17-20. Meanwhile, the Heat, with a record of 20-17, were on their second stop of a four-game road trip.
The announcement of a delayed start time came about 40 minutes after the game was set to begin at 7:05 p.m., pushing the anticipated tip-off to after 8 p.m. local time.
During the delay, maintenance crews worked diligently with large mops, while players from both teams stayed on the court, engaging in light activities. By 7:50 p.m., players and coaches retreated to their locker rooms, leaving the court clear for ongoing efforts to address the slippery conditions.
Game officials, then Heat players and coaches, started returning to the floor at 8:25 p.m. Bulls coaches and a handful of Chicago players led by Coby White followed minutes later and filtered about. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra were among those chatting.
The teams then exited the court at 8:45 p.m. without attempting to warm up.
Temperatures in Chicago reached the mid-50s on a rainy Thursday.
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