Chicago visits Target Center at 8 p.m. ET on NBA League Pass. The Bulls beat Atlanta 125-117 on Friday to end their losing streak, then travel to face a Minnesota team that beat Dallas 133-94 on Thursday. Chicago wants to speed the game up. Minnesota can live with a quicker game if it’s the team getting the better shots and controlling the rebounds. Verified U.S. sportsbook odds were not available at the time of writing.
Chicago Needs Friday’s Shot Quality to Travel
The Bulls are 2-9 and 1-5 on the road. Friday’s win showed what happens when their pace produces points without the defense giving them all back. It’s a useful correction to the idea that Chicago can’t score against good teams. It still has to repeat that work on the road against a Minnesota defense that has allowed fewer than 106 points per game.
Before Friday, Chicago played at an estimated 106.5 possessions per game but shot only 50.3% by effective field-goal percentage. There’s the problem. Pushing the ball is useful when it creates a layup or an open three. If it produces a contested shot early in the clock, Minnesota can take the rebound and make Chicago defend a quick possession of its own.
Chicago is without a starting forward who averaged 18.9 points and 6.2 rebounds across its first 10 games before breaking his hand. The absence matters on both ends here. The Bulls have fewer frontcourt scoring options and need other players to box out against one of the stronger offensive rebounding teams on the slate.
Minnesota’s Rebounding Gives It a Way to Pull Away
The Timberwolves are 9-3 and 5-1 at home. Their 39-point win over Dallas showed how rapidly they can create separation when they defend the ball and finish possessions. I wouldn’t project another margin that large, but Chicago’s defense has been more vulnerable than Dallas’s over the season.
Minnesota entered Friday with a 56.3% effective field-goal percentage and a 31.4% offensive rebounding rate. That’s a difficult combination for Chicago. Even when the Bulls defend the first shot well, they have to stay in the possession long enough to take away the second one.
Minnesota remains without its usual lead scorer following knee surgery. That takes away a reliable late-clock option, but the Wolves don’t need to solve every possession with a difficult isolation. Against Chicago, they can use ball movement, cuts and extra chances to get points from several spots on the floor.
Team Comparison Chart
| Measure | Chicago | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Current record | 2-9 | 9-3 |
| Relevant venue split | 1-5 road | 5-1 home |
| Points scored / allowed per game | 113.3 / 128.8 | 119.3 / 105.9 |
| Estimated possessions per game | 106.5 | 103.7 |
| Effective field-goal percentage | 50.3% | 56.3% |
| Offensive rebound percentage | 27.7% | 31.4% |
Records include Friday’s result. Rate statistics are from the pre-Friday snapshot.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Regular-Season Meeting | Result | Combined Points |
|---|---|---|
| January 22, 2026 | Chicago 120, Minnesota 115 | 235 |
| December 29, 2025 | Minnesota 136, Chicago 101 | 237 |
The teams split those meetings. The totals were nearly identical even though one game was close and the other was a blowout.
Position-by-Position Matchups
| Position | Matchup to Watch | What It Favors |
|---|---|---|
| Point guard | Chicago needs quick decisions against a defense that can be set before the second action. | Chicago on clean breaks; Minnesota once the floor is set. |
| Shooting guard | Minnesota must create good shots through movement without its usual lead scorer. | Minnesota if it forces Chicago into repeated closeouts. |
| Small forward | Chicago’s wings can keep the game closer by making open threes after drives. | Chicago if it creates clean perimeter volume. |
| Power forward | Minnesota can crash the weak side while Chicago’s help defenders contest the shot. | Minnesota, particularly with Chicago missing a starting forward. |
| Center | Chicago has to finish possessions with a rebound and avoid giving away putbacks. | Minnesota has the clearest advantage on the glass. |
Bulls vs Timberwolves Picks and Predictions
Straight-Up Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves
Chicago’s win Friday makes me give its offense more credit, but Minnesota is better equipped to get stops and turn misses into extra shots. That gives the Timberwolves a way to pull away without an exceptional shooting night. The main upset risk is that Chicago gets hot from outside while Minnesota struggles to create late in the clock.
Spread and Total: Pending
I project Minnesota by 16. The difference between a comfortable win and a cover will depend on the number, especially if the fourth quarter is played mostly by reserves. My 228-point projection has Minnesota doing most of the scoring. Chicago’s best path to a higher total is getting the Wolves to play faster without sacrificing shot quality.
Final straight-up pick: Minnesota Timberwolves. Projected score: Minnesota 122, Chicago 106.
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Prepared November 13, 2026. Odds, injury designations and starting lineups may change.