The Bulls are right back at it Saturday night in Minnesota, and the setup is about as unfriendly as it gets. Chicago is on the back end of a back-to-back, and that comes after the team already logged five extra minutes less than 24 hours earlier. For a young roster, this is exactly the kind of spot where legs get tested.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 PM CT at Target Center. The game will air on Chicago Sports Network, with radio coverage on 104.3 FM The Score.
Minnesota has been rolling all season, even with Anthony Edwards out. Chris Finch’s group owns a 13.4 net rating, the best mark in the league, and its defense has been the backbone of that success.
The Timberwolves are giving up just 105 points per game, rank in the top seven in forced turnovers, and sit third in opponent field goal percentage. Some of that comes against weaker offenses, but the size and length in this lineup still jumps off the page.
That group includes Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Ayo Dosunmu, who has been given room to run with Edwards sidelined. Dosunmu is off to the best start of his career, averaging 18.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from three.
Chicago knows him well. That doesn’t make him any easier to handle, especially when he’s attacking downhill.
The styles here also make for a fascinating contrast. Minnesota leans hard into isolation, running the most ISO possessions in the NBA and sitting bottom ten in passes made per game.
The Bulls, by comparison, want to move the ball quickly and find teammates in the open floor. That clash should shape the way this one flows.
Chicago’s starting group is listed as Josh Giddey, Isaac Okoro, Norman Powell, Matas Buzelis, and Jalen Smith. Minnesota’s starters are LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu, Jonathan Kuminga, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert.
Jalen Smith’s status is worth watching after he had to leave Friday’s game at the start of overtime. He took a hard fall under the basket and landed on the same hand where he had already injured fingers. After the game, he said he didn’t think it was anything major and hoped to play in Minnesota 24 hours later.
The Bulls also list Dailyn Swain as questionable with a disc issue, while Caleb Wilson and Tobe Awaka are out with disc and hand injuries, respectively. For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards remains out with a knee injury, and Donte DiViincenzo is out with an Achilles issue.
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