Bulls vs Heat postponed: condensation on United Center court

The NBA officially postponed Thursday night’s game between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat after humidity on the United Center court made the surface « unplayable. » The decision was made after more than 90 minutes of unsuccessful attempts to resolve the problem.

Exceptional weather conditions caused the problem

Unusually warm and rainy weather conditions in Chicago created an unprecedented situation at the United Center. According to sources from The Athletic, the temperature reached 13°C at 8pm, an exceptionally high level for the season. This unusual warmth, combined with the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks had played on ice Wednesday, caused massive condensation on the basketball court.

The humidity inside the arena reached nearly 60%, double the usual 30% level during a basketball game. The ice beneath the court, installed for Blackhawks games, was melting around the edges of the floor, creating dangerous playing conditions for the players.

Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls highlights are going CRAZY🥶🥶🥶 pic.twitter.com/cgkwvT1gMV

— KingCharge (@KingCharge) January 9, 2026

A unanimous decision after repair attempts

Despite warmups by both teams and efforts by arena staff, conditions continued to deteriorate. « Water was visible on the court moments before the scheduled 7pm local tip-off, and the situation worsened afterward, » reporters from The Athletic stated.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra confirmed the severity of the situation: « Players were complaining on both sides. We all went out there and almost immediately, we felt it wasn’t playable. »

Desperate attempts by staff using mops and towels to soak up the water proved futile. By 8pm, the buckets of recovered water testified to the scale of the problem.

About two hours after the scheduled tip-off time, the NBA, referees and coaches from both teams made the joint decision to postpone the game. A new date has not yet been announced, especially since Miami is not currently scheduled to return to Chicago this season. This type of incident recalls similar situations that occurred during the 2016-2017 season in Minnesota and Philadelphia.