Minnesota Timberwolves at Chicago Bulls
Date: October 16th, 2024
Time: 7:00PM CDT
Location: United Center
Television Coverage: Bally Sports North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App/iHeart Radio
Well, you have to give it to the Minnesota Timberwolves—they sure know how to make a typically snoozy preseason interesting. After the emotional rollercoaster of facing Karl-Anthony Towns in a Knicks jersey for the first time, the Wolves fell to New York 115-110. But honestly, who cares about the final score? This game had more drama than the last season of Succession.
Let’s start with the obvious: Anthony Edwards. If anyone was feeling bummed about seeing KAT in Knicks blue and orange, Ant flipped that script real quick. He poured in a game-high 31 points, shooting a blistering 8-for-13 from beyond the arc. The man was on fire. This is the Ant we all envisioned when he took over as the face of the franchise.
Then there’s Naz Reid, who had 15 points, looking every bit like the offensive spark we now expect him. But not everything was sunshine and rainbows. Jaden McDaniels, the guy we’re all hoping takes the leap this season, was quiet—way too quiet. Three points on five shot attempts isn’t going to get the job done. Unlocking McDaniels’ offensive potential is going to be huge for this team, especially as they look to fill the void left by Towns. Don’t get me wrong, it’s just one preseason game, but with Edwards and Reid stepping up, McDaniels needs to join the party if the Wolves want to take that next step. Hopefully, we’ll see a little more firepower from him when the Wolves head to Chicago.
Speaking of Chicago, the next game against the Bulls is shaping up to be a real treat for Wolves fans. Why? Because Julius Randle is finally making his debut in a Minnesota uniform. I know, I know, we’ve all been hyped about Dante DiVincenzo—and with good reason. The guy’s been electric this preseason, bringing exactly the kind of offensive jolt this team lacked during their Western Conference Finals loss to Dallas. But let’s not forget: Randle was the cornerstone piece in that blockbuster trade. If the Wolves are going to capitalize on their championship window, Randle needs to be a big part of it.
Randle’s been sidelined for the first three preseason games, but he’s expected to start against the Bulls, and this could be our first real glimpse of how he fits into the team’s dynamic. With the Wolves needing to adjust their schedule around the Minnesota Lynx’s WNBA Finals run, the Wolves now have a back-to-back scenario with their final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on October 17. It’s an unusual scenario for the preseason, and I can’t imagine Chris Finch will want to throw his stars into that kind of grind right before the regular season. So, this game against the Bulls? This is likely Randle’s one big preseason showcase.
With all the changes and excitement, one thing’s for sure: there’s plenty for Wolves fans to be optimistic about. The team’s preseason performances so far have been promising, and if Randle comes out firing on all cylinders against the Bulls, the anticipation for the regular season is going to hit a fever pitch. Less than a week until the games start counting, people! The countdown to October 22 against the Lakers is on, and this matchup against Chicago, with all eyes on Randle, should be a fun one to watch.