N.B.A. Playoffs - Heat Roll Over Bulls CHICAGO - A placard was laid on each seat at United Center before Game 4 on Monday night between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat. In capital white letters on a red background, the words encapsulated these playoffs for the Bulls, an injury-riddled team that has made its way into the second round on grit and guile. "Next Man Up," the placard read. Fans waved them during warm-ups and when the teams were introduced. They held them in their laps, ready to raise them again for much of the game. There were few chances. By the end of the Heat's 88-65 win that gave them a 3-1 series lead, the placards littered the arena's floor as Bulls fans trudged home after what could be the team's final home game. Game 5 will be Wednesday in Miami. The previous two games of the series featured eight Bulls technical fouls and three ejections, but Monday's contest was a much more staid affair. There were no elbows after the whistle nor highlight-worthy skirmishes. The only technical called on Chicago was for a three-second violation. After being bothered by the Bulls" hard-nosed attitude for much of the series, Miami was the aggressor from the outset in Game 4. The Bulls scored the first basket of the game but never led again after the Heat responded with an 11-0 run. "They've been able to come out and jump on us," said LeBron James, who led the way for the Heat with 27 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds. It was good to see us reverse that. Chris Bosh chipped in 14 points. The Bulls looked little like the team that has repeatedly shaken off adversity and overcome long odds during this postseason. Chicago set playoff-record lows for points in a game, in a quarter (9 in the third), fewest field goals made (19) and lowest field-goal percentage (.257). "We didn't execute," center Joakim Noah said. We didn't play well tonight. Our energy wasn't good. Mentally, we were a little drained because we weren't hitting shots. Luol Deng was active for the first time since having complications from a spinal tap after Game 5 against the Nets, but he did not play. Derrick Rose (knee) and Kirk Hinrich (calf) watched in street clothes from the bench. Without reinforcements, the catalysts from the Bulls" surprising run struggled. Nate Robinson, the 5-foot-9 point guard who electrified the league with several memorable playoff performances, shot 0 for 12 from the field and did not score. "I just didn't make no shots tonight," Robinson said. That's all. Jimmy Butler shot just 4 for 10 and scored 12 points. Noah, Chicago's energetic leader who played through plantar fasciitis for much of the second half of the season, scored 6 points and was 1 of 6 shooting. "They're in a tough situation because of injuries and illnesses and whatever's going on," James said. But that's not for us to worry about. Indeed, the Heat systematically built on their early lead. It was 21-15 after the first quarter and 44-33 by halftime. The Bulls hung tough for the first half with 10 offensive rebounds, but an inability to handle the Heat's pressure defense took its toll. Miami put the game out of reach in the third quarter. Leading by 46-39, the Heat reeled off a 15-3 run that separated them from the lethargic Bulls. Dwyane Wade scored his only 6 points of the game during the run, which also included two baskets from Udonis Haslem and a James layup. Norris Cole beat the buzzer with a running 3-pointer to push the lead to 19 points. Wade left the game briefly in the second quarter after a turnaround jumper that appeared to aggravate a bone bruise on his right knee. The injury has bothered him in the regular season and during the playoffs. He returned to play 29 minutes. "Just a shooting pain," Wade said. It hurt, but eventually I was able to come back, retape my knee and try to finish. Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra had spoken repeatedly about the need for his team to impose its identity in a series that before Game 4 had the Bulls" fingerprints all over it. Whether Monday night was the result of the Heat's presence, the Bulls" exhaustion or a bit of both does not matter. Chicago is on the brink of elimination.