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Scouting Report: Timberwolves at Bulls

Dane MizutaniWeb Editorial AssociateEmail / Twitter

Timberwolves vs. Bulls | 7:00 PM, Scottrade Center

Where to Watch: No TV

Where To Listen: No Radio

It’s about time. This matchup marks the final preseason game for both teams as the NBA regular season is finally upon us. There are two schools of thought in regards to the way the Wolves and the Chicago Bulls can approach this game. They can treat it like Week 3 and Week 4 of the NFL preseason and play projected starters and realistic rotations, or they can rest players in attempt to avoid catastrophe in the final game that doesn’t really count. It remains to be seen what either team will do. That said it’s an exciting thing in itself that the NBA preseason is finally finished and the regular season is just days away.   

Last Meeting 

These two teams haven’t faced off since last season, and in that matchup the Bulls thoroughly dominated the Wolves en route to a 102-87 win in the Twin Cities. Joakim Noah was a beast down a low and finished with a triple-double — 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Noah got some help as five other Bulls players scored in double digits. That was also a very different Chicago team without Derrick Rose who missed pretty much all of last year with a torn meniscus. Kevin Love led the Wolves with 17 points and 10 boards in the loss and Ricky Rubio added 15 points.

This Week’s Results 

Minnesota is fresh off victories over the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks this week. Anthony Bennett paced the Wolves to the 107-89 win over the Pacers on Tuesday as he netted 17 points in 17 minutes. Rubio added 16 points on 4-for-8 from the floor. Shabazz Muhammad and Chase Budinger led the way in the 110-91 win over the Bucks. Muhammad and Budinger had 19 points and 15 points, respectively as Minnesota thoroughly outworked its counterparts from Milwaukee. Andrew Wiggins missed his second consecutive game with a bruised butt. It’s still a little unclear whether Wiggins will play Friday against the Bulls.

This will be the third game of the week for Chicago. It defeated the Charlotte Hornets 101-96 on Sunday and lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-98 on Monday. Kirk Hinrich was the high-point man for the Bulls in the victory over the Hornets as he came off the bench and filled it up for 26 points. Rose was the guy in the loss to the Cavaliers and he [[{"fid":"24007","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{"style":"line-height: 1.538em; float: right; background-color: transparent;","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]almost looked like the Derrick Rose of old. He knifed to the lane at will to the tune of 30 points. If he plays like that Friday night the Wolves will have their hands full.

Key Matchup: Ricky Rubio vs. Derrick Rose 

There is a chance that both these players don’t play a ton of minutes in this game, though that’s beside the point. Ricky Rubio going up against Derrick Rose is intriguing on many counts. It’s a matchup of two of the more exciting signal callers in the NBA — Rubio with his dazzling passing skills and Rose with his lightning quick aggressiveness up and down the floor. It will also be the last tune up before the regular season for both players. Rubio has shown improvements during the preseason as he’s shot the rock with more confidence and seems to have taken the next step in becoming a true leader on the court. Rose, on the other hand, looks about as close to 100 percent as he can be as he continues to recover from a host of grueling knee injuries. While the two players likely won’t play very many minutes in the game, the fact that they will be on the floor together at any point will be worth the price of admission.

TSR Injury Report 

Wolves: Andrew Wiggins (lower back contusion) is questionable.

Bulls: Jimmy Butler (wrist) is probable.

Projected Starters 

Wolves:  PG – Rubio, SG – Martin, SF – Brewer, PF – Young, C – Pekovic

Bulls: PG – Rose, SG – Butler, SF – Dunleavy, PF – Gasol, C – Noah