Bulls game at United Center postponed due to condensation

CHICAGO (AP) — The game between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Thursday was postponed after a nearly two-hour delay due to condensation on the court. The officials cited "court conditions" for the delay in starting the contest. There appeared to be moisture on the floor at the United Center, which is also home to the Chicago Blackhawks, who played Wednesday and will skate at the arena again Friday. Workers tried to dry the surface using mops and towels. The game was officially postponed at 8:53 p.m., prompting boos from the crowd. A rescheduled date for the game was not immediately announced, although the Bulls said tickets from Thursday would be honored. Referee Sean Wright told a pool reporter that players first informed him of the slippery court during warmups. Despite efforts by the United Center staff — including shuffling across the floor with thick towels on their feet — "we just couldn't guarantee a safe on-court experience," Wright said. "At 9:13 on the warm-up clock, some Miami players came and said the court was real slippery and at the same time some Bulls players came over as well," Wright said. "So, I checked the court conditions and then I immediately got on the horn and notified the (NBA) Replay Center what was going on." The decision to delay the start of the game wasn't announced on the United Center public address system until tipoff. "We tried to work together to see if we could fix the problem," Wright said. "We had ongoing talks and tried some different stuff on the court, and nothing seemed to work." Heat coach Erik Spoelstra added players could feel the slipperiness in pregame warmups. "By the time I got out there, all the players were complaining," he said. Bulls guard Tre Jones told reporters that players kept awaiting a final word. "They were just telling us, that pretty much, they were gonna keep waiting," Jones said. "It was like 15-minute segments and every 15 minutes would go by and they're just like trying to continue to work on it to make sure we had a safe playing field, but just couldn't get it figured out." Jones, who was in the starting lineup on his 26th birthday, said he could feel the slipperiness. "I think as more people got in the gym and everything it just got warmer," he said. "So I think it continued to get a little bit worse, a little more slippery."