LeBron James, Heat shut down injured Bulls in Game 4

Heat forward LeBron James dunks during Monday's Game 4 win vs. the Bulls.(Photo: Mike DiNovo, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

• Miami Heat beat Chicago Bulls 88-65 Monday in Game 4 of second-round playoff series
• LeBron James carried Heat on night of mediocre three-point shooting from supporting cast
• Nate Robinson shot 0-for-12 as Bulls struggled with Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose watching

CHICAGO — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wanted a better start for his team in Game 4.

"It's concentration. It's not a matter of want," Spoelstra said Monday morning at Miami's shootaround. "It's not a matter of not necessarily bringing effort. It's focusing on details, and for us on both ends of the court, we had mentally lackadaisical plays."

Miami's commitment to concentration on offense and defense led to a dominant 88-65 victory and an authoritative 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

BOX SCORE: Heat 88, Bulls 65

SCHEDULE: Second-round times, TV info

Forward LeBron James had 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, and Chris Bosh added 14 points and six rebounds for the Heat, who shot 48.5% from the field and held the Bulls to 26.0% shooting, including 16.7% on 2-for-16 three-pointers.

The Bulls set franchise playoff lows in points (previously 69 vs. the Detroit Pistons on May 5, 2007) and field goal percentage (previously 31.1% against the Pistons on June 3, 1990).

The Heat trailed 2-0, scored the next three points and never trailed again, building a 44-33 halftime lead. They buried the Bulls with a 17-9 third quarter and took a 61-42 advantage into the fourth quarter.

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Chicago's nine points in the third was their lowest scoring quarter of the season, and it was the fewest points the Heat have allowed in the third quarter of playoff game in franchise history. Seven of Chicago's 17 turnovers came in the quarter.

The meter on the gas gauge is on empty for the Bulls, impressive as they have been with a depleted roster. Guard Nate Robinson missed all 12 shots he took, forward Carlos Boozer shot 3-for-14 and Joakim Noah went 1-for-6. Not one Bulls starter shot better than 50% from the field.

"We have to play with great intensity, but we have to make shots also," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Not making shots early hurt us. But the rebounding I thought was good. I thought we had a chance to get back in it. It doesn't take much to get them going. If you turn it over and they get into the open floor, they can hurt you and they did."

The series is looking all too much like the Bulls-Heat Eastern Conference finals in 2011 when the Bulls won Game 1, like this series, and then the Heat won the next four. Game 5 is Wednesday in Miami (7 p.m. ET, TNT).

PHOTOS: Top shots from Heat-Bulls series

          Game 4 in Chicago: Heat 88, Bulls 65 -- LeBron James (6) didn't shoot the ball particularly well, but he finished with 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as Miami manhandled Chicago for the third straight game.          Rob Grabowski, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 4 in Chicago: Heat 88, Bulls 65 -- Nate Robinson (2) and Chris Bosh scramble for a loose ball during the first half. Bosh chipped in 14 points for Miami, while Robinson shot 0-for-12 for Chicago.          Mike DiNovo, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 4 in Chicago: Heat 88, Bulls 65 -- Dwyane Wade (3) drives to the bucket against Joakim Noah (13) during the first half. Wade only had six points on 3-of-10 shooting, but he helped Miami hold Noah and Chicago to 25.7% shooting.          Rob Grabowski, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 4 in Chicago: Heat 88, Bulls 65 -- LeBron James soars to the bucket for a one-handed jam during the first half.          Mike DiNovo, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 4 in Chicago: Heat 88, Bulls 65 -- Nate Robinson, bottom, Shane Battier, right, and Norris Cole scramble for a loose ball during the first half.          Mike DiNovo, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 3 in Chicago: Heat 104, Bulls 94 -- Nazr Mohammed (48) pushes LeBron James (6) to the ground, resulting in Mohammed's ejection, during the second quarter.          Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 3 in Chicago: Heat 104, Bulls 94 --  Joakim Noah (13) and Chris Andersen (11) have to be separated after Noah shoved Andersen.          Rob Grabowski, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 3 in Chicago: Heat 104, Bulls 94 -- Dwyane Wade (3) drives past Marco Belinelli (8) during the second quarter.          Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 3 in Chicago: Heat 104, Bulls 94 -- Joakim Noah being defended by Chris Bosh (1).          Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 2 in Miami: Heat 115, Bulls 78 -- LeBron James and the Heat evened the series in resounding fashion with a Game 2 blowout. James had 19 points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals before spending most of the fourth quarter on the bench.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 2 in Miami: Heat 115, Bulls 78 -- Chicago guard Daequan Cook (14) fouls Miami forward LeBron James (6) hard around the neck during the first half.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 2 in Miami: Heat 115, Bulls 78 -- A small scuffle ensued after Daequan Cook's hard foul on LeBron James.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 2 in Miami: Heat 115, Bulls 78 -- Three Bulls defenders can only watch as Dwyane Wade throws down a one-handed jam in the first half. Wade finished with 15 points.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 2 in Miami: Heat 115, Bulls 78 -- Miami defenders Chris Bosh and Norris Cole bring the double-team against Chicago guard Nate Robinson. The Heat shot a blistering 60% from the field and held the Bulls to 35.5% shooting.          Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 2 in Miami: Heat vs. Bulls -- LeBron James (6) and Udonis Haslem (40) celebrate a first-half bucket. James and Haslem helped the Heat out-rebound the Bulls 41-28.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 1 in Miami: Bulls 93, Heat 86 - LeBron James wrestles with Nate Robinson for a loose ball.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 1 in Miami: Bulls 93, Heat 86 - Joakim Noah blocks Udonis Haslem's shot.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 1 in Miami: Bulls 93, Heat 86 - LeBron James looks to drive on Jimmy Butler.          Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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          Game 1 in Miami: Bulls 93, Heat 86 - Jimmy Butler drives on LeBron James.          Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

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Just eight teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit. The Phoenix Suns were the most recent to do it, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round in 2006.

The Heat had the best road record during the regular season and are 4-0 on the road in the playoffs. Over the past three seasons, Miami has learned not to panic over minor adversity such as one-game deficits. It was also down 1-0 to the Oklahoma City in last year's Finals and won the next four games.

The Bulls packed the middle in Game 3, allowing just 28 points in the paint. The Heat tinkered with their offense and found ways to penetrate Chicago's strong interior defense, scoring 28 points in the paint in the first three quarters.

"I believe in this team," Thibodeau said. "I think they've shown all year they have a tough mindset. We're all disappointed with the way played tonight. We know how good they are. We'll have to play our best game."

Wade tweaked his knee just before a shot attempt with 7:21 left in the second quarter. He checked out of the game at 7:12 and checked back in at 3:36. However, Wade did not score in the first half after scoring just two points in the first half and just 10 total in Miami's Game 3 victory.

He is averaging nearly eight points less in the playoffs than he did during the regular season. No matter how the Heat spin it — even if he did have six points, all in the third — they want more offensive production from Wade, who contributed in other areas: good defense, three rebounds and four assists.

"He understands better than anybody right just to help us win, and he is, with his minutes," Spoelstra said. "Is he coming in here and getting 30 a night? He's creating a lot of good things for us defensively, he's competing and giving us a presence from the perimeter. Offensively, he's making the right plays."

If the Heat can end the series on Wednesday, Wade can receive extra rest and treatment — and maybe even more if the Indiana Pacers-New York Knicks series extends to six or more games.