Timberwolves Nightly
More
PodcastVideoSalary capDraft picksHistory
The North Star Report · Morning

Minnesota Chases a Cleaner Finish Tonight in Chicago

A fast start in Detroit faded by halftime; Minnesota gets one more tuneup tonight against Chicago.

Jaden McDaniels12 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals in 23 minutes vs. Detroit
By the Timberwolves Nightly Desk · Friday, October 16

The regular season opens in five days, on Oct. 21 at Miami, and the Wolves close their preseason tonight in Chicago against a Bulls team already missing four regulars to injury. Minnesota is still working out how it wants to finish games, not just start them.

Jaden McDaniels of the Timberwolves
Jaden McDaniels. Photo: AWProductions, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Leading, Then Leaking

Minnesota led 38-29 after one quarter at Detroit on Oct. 14, then was outscored 36-20 in the second on the way to a 106-128 final. McDaniels was efficient and physical in his 23 minutes; Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 20 points but went 5-for-15 from the field with four turnovers in a minus-15 night. The closing lineup of Dosunmu, Ball, Gobert, Shannon and Lyles never found the stop it needed — Lyles finished minus-19, Dosunmu minus-18.

A Thin Chicago Frontcourt

Tiago Splitter's Bulls enter winless this preseason after a 31-51 finish last season, and tonight catches them light: Nic Claxton (hamstring), Isaac Okoro, Zach Collins and Tobe Awaka all carry injury listings. Josh Giddey averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists last season, and Norman Powell averaged 21.7 points — the two scorers Minnesota's defense will lean on Gobert and McDaniels to slow.

Reinforcements, Maybe

Enrique Freeman and Rocco Zikarsky are each targeted to return tonight after missing recent games, while Dosunmu now carries a rest listing that points to a return in time for the regular-season opener Oct. 21 at Miami.

Is Ayo Dosunmu playing tonight against the Bulls?

He's listed with a rest designation and no return date before Oct. 21, when Minnesota opens the regular season at Miami.

What went wrong for the Timberwolves against Detroit?

Minnesota led by nine after the first quarter but was outscored 36-20 in the second, part of a 106-128 loss on Oct. 14.

By the Timberwolves Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

More from The North Star Report

all Timberwolves news →
Week ahead · Thu, Oct 15One Exhibition Game Stands Between Minnesota and a Season That CountsThe big question · Thu, Oct 15Minnesota's Real Question: Can the New Backcourt Buy Rudy Gobert More Time?Morning · Thu, Oct 15A Lopsided Loss to Detroit Sends Minnesota Looking Ahead to ChicagoMorning · Wed, Oct 14Terrence Shannon Jr.'s Minutes Spike Faces Its Next Test Against DetroitMorning · Tue, Oct 13Finch's 'Giddiness' Line Faces a Test as Pistons VisitMorning · Mon, Oct 12Six Names in Question as Timberwolves Visit the Garden