Bulls on Ice: Moisture Crisis Postpones Heat Matchup at United Center
The NBA has yet to comment on whether players will be required to wear basketball shoes or figure skates for the rescheduled matchup.
The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat were rained out, indoors, Thursday night after a sweating court rendered the United Center floor dangerously slippery.
ESPN-NBA insider Shams Charania first reported the delay, which eventually led to the rare decision to call off the game entirely.
WATCH:
This marks the NBA’s first court-related postponement since 2017.
If you ever wondered how basketball courts and ice rinks could coexist, this is one of those rare occasions where they didn't …
The culprit was a bizarre atmospheric condition, triggered by the Chicago Blackhawks' ice rink resting directly beneath the hardwood. Per reports, the temperature differential caused moisture to bleed through the floor, turning the court into a hazard during pregame warm-ups.
Maintenance crews spent nearly two hours frantically mopping and using industrial blowers, but the humidity proved relentless.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented on the mishap.
"We always want to try to go," Spo said. "Players were complaining about it on both sides, so, as a staff we went out there and pretty much immediately we thought it wasn’t playable. We weren’t optimistic it was going to change."
While the game was a wash, the delay provided a few surreal highlights.
Benny the Bull energized the waiting crowd by winning a backward half-court trick shot challenge against Tyler Herro, who was later spotted passing the time watching the College Football Playoff game.
The league will announce a rescheduled date soon; tickets for Thursday's game remain valid.
The NBA has yet to comment on whether players will be required to wear basketball shoes or figure skates for the rescheduled matchup.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 8: Maintenance staff wipes the floors during a delay in a game between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat at the United Center on January 8, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
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