Tannen Maury/European Pressphoto Agency
Chicago's Taj Gibson (22) and Jimmy Butler defending LeBron James, who finished with 32 points and 7 rebounds in Miami's first defeat since Feb. 1.
CHICAGO — Before Wednesday's tip-off at United Center, LeBron James lay on a towel in the Miami locker room as a team assistant helped him stretch. James rapped along to a song on his iPod as his thighs were kneaded and his long limbs were pushed and pulled. Nearly 20 reporters and cameramen watched his every movement.
After the Chicago Bulls stunned the Heat, 101-97, to end their 27-game winning streak — the second-longest streak in N.B.A. history and six games short of the record set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers — James had another moment in the locker room, this one much more private.
"I had everyone come in and put a hand on each other," Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It was the first time I talked about the streak."
James said: "We haven't had a moment to really know what we just did. We had a moment, just very fortunate and very humble and blessed to be a part of this team and be a part of a streak like this."
The Bulls sprinted to an early lead, as many teams had done recently against the Heat. They led by double digits for much of the first half and held a 9-point edge at halftime. But a 13-3 third-quarter spurt gave the Heat their first lead of the game, 59-58, with 4 minutes 30 seconds left in the quarter.
Rather than fold, the Bulls stiffened, something no other team had done during Miami's run. Boston led the Heat by 17 in the second quarter on March 18, and Cleveland held a 27-point second-half advantage two nights later. Neither cushion was enough.
With the game tied at 69-69 early in the fourth quarter, Miami appeared poised to go on another run, and remind the league that they were good enough to spot opponents large leads and come back at will.
Instead, it was Chicago that found an extra gear. As the minutes ticked away, the wait for the Heat to turn into that familiar squad of steel nerves and ruthless efficiency became cheer after cheer as the Bulls hit big shot after big shot.
Luol Deng sank a 3-pointer to make the score 78-73 and another to make it 83-75. Jimmy Butler drilled a third long-range basket to put the Bulls ahead, 86-78.
Suddenly, the crowd was chanting, "Beat the Heat." And with belief.
The Heat never threatened again. Deng led the Bulls with 28 points, Carlos Boozer had 21 and Butler added 17.
The last time the Heat had lost was Feb. 1 to Indiana. The streak spanned 53 days, beginning in Toronto on Super Bowl Sunday, and captivated the N.B.A., as James raised his already electric game to another level. He was terrific again Wednesday, scoring 32 points on 11-for-17 shooting from the field. Dwyane Wade returned after missing two games with a knee bruise and scored 18.
It was not enough.
Despite an 86-67 Miami victory over Chicago in late February, the gritty, defensive-minded Bulls posed a test for the Heat. Before Wednesday's game, Spoelstra spoke of the challenge rather starkly.
"We're preparing for an absolute cage-fight mentality game," he said.
Chicago obliged. Indicative of Spoelstra's assessment was a first-quarter play in which James went one-on-one against Kirk Hinrich on a fast break. James lowered his shoulder and Hinrich took it in the chest, while also giving James a bear hug. Both players tumbled to the floor, Hinrich was whistled for a foul and the home crowd erupted.
Chicago was short-handed, playing without Derrick Rose, who has yet to return after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament during last year's playoffs, and the All-Star center Joakim Noah, out with plantar fasciitis. It did not matter.
A thunderous round of boos greeted James when he was announced, but it was nothing compared with the raucous scene as the fourth-quarter clock ticked down. Fans stood, and the arena seemed to shake.
Despite the heightened media attention, and presence, as the Heat inched closer to history, James said the weight of the streak was not an issue.
"We weren't pressing every game saying we have to win so we can get the streak," he said.
Soon, the Heat will turn their attention to a larger prize, in the playoffs.
"It has never been about the streak," Spoelstra said. "We have had a bigger goal in mind."
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