- 1 Minnesota Timberwolves vs Chicago Bulls: seven straight losses and a defense conceding nearly 130
- 2 Minnesota Timberwolves: 118.4 scored, 107.7 allowed, and winning without Edwards
- 3 Chicago Bulls: 1-8, 129.6 points allowed and the second night of a back-to-back
- 4 Free NBA Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Chicago Bulls
- 5 About our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About visuals
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Chicago Bulls: seven straight losses and a defense conceding nearly 130 
Chicago have lost seven games in a row. Their only win of the season came on the second night of it, 132-125 in Milwaukee, and since then they’ve been beaten by 43 in Toronto, by 35 in Boston and by 30 at Madison Square Garden.
The Bulls were allowing 129.6 points a game before Sunday’s 127-121 home loss to Philadelphia. That’s an 18-point gap between what they score and what they give up, the kind of number that doesn’t change in a week.
Minnesota are 8-3 and have won four straight, the last of them 115-100 over Utah on Sunday. They’ve done it while Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo have been listed out, with Ayo Dosunmu scoring 26 in each of the last two games.
The game is Saturday, November 14, at 8pm ET at Target Center. Chicago host San Antonio on Wednesday and Atlanta on Friday, so this is the second night of a back-to-back and the end of a run of three games in four nights. Minnesota host Dallas on Thursday and get Friday off.
No line had been posted at the time of writing. The Wolves will be big favorites, and the interesting question is the margin, not the winner.
Chicago are last in the Central at 1-8, 5.5 games behind Detroit. Minnesota have lost three times all season, to Cleveland in overtime, to Golden State and in San Antonio.
Minnesota Timberwolves: 118.4 scored, 107.7 allowed, and winning without Edwards 
Before Sunday, Minnesota were scoring 118.4 points a game and allowing 107.7. That’s one of the best scoring differentials in the league, and it’s held up through a stretch without their best player.
Edwards opened the season with 45 in Miami and 47 in an overtime loss in Cleveland. Since he went on the unavailable list, Dosunmu has taken over. He had 27 in a loss at San Antonio, 21 in a win in Houston, then 26 in New Orleans and 26 again against Utah.
Rudy Gobert has controlled the boards. He pulled down 15 rebounds against Utah, 20 in Cleveland and 15 on opening night, and he’s been the team’s top rebounder in seven of its 11 games.
LaMelo Ball has run the offense, with 34 points against Milwaukee and team-high assist totals in seven of the eleven games. The Wolves are 4-1 at Target Center, the only home loss coming 119-114 to Golden State. They’ve held four opponents to 100 points or fewer, including Orlando to 93 and Toronto to 94.
Five different players have led Minnesota in scoring: Edwards, Jaden McDaniels with 15 in Orlando, Jonathan Kuminga with 20 against Golden State, Ball and Dosunmu. That spread has kept the offense moving without its star.
Edwards’ status for Saturday hasn’t been confirmed. If he plays, the ceiling on Minnesota’s scoring goes up again. If he doesn’t, the four-game win streak says the Wolves can handle a team like Chicago without him.
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Chicago Bulls: 1-8, 129.6 points allowed and the second night of a back-to-back 
Josh Giddey has done what he can. He had 19 points and 15 assists against Philadelphia on Sunday, and he’s led the Bulls in assists in every game this season, with double figures in four of them.
The scoring has come from different places each night. Caleb Wilson scored 30 in a home loss to Washington and 24 in Philadelphia, while Norman Powell put up 30 against New York and 25 in the win at Milwaukee.
Chicago gave up 135 in Toronto, 134 in Boston, 133 at home to New York and 135 again at Madison Square Garden. They allowed 126 or more in six of their first nine games.
Jalen Smith has led the Bulls in rebounds five times, including 13 in the win at Milwaukee, and Matas Buzelis top-scored in the opener with 17. Tre Jones led the team with only 14 in the 30-point loss in New York.
Nic Claxton is listed out, which leaves the interior thin. Against a Minnesota team with Gobert inside, that means second chances, and the Bulls haven’t been able to stop first chances.
Saturday is Chicago’s third game in four nights and the second of a back-to-back, after hosting the Hawks on Friday. On the second night of their only other back-to-back, in Milwaukee, they gave up 125 and still won 132-125, their only victory of the season.
Probable lineup Minnesota Timberwolves: Not announced at time of publication
Probable lineup Chicago Bulls: Not announced at time of publication
Free NBA Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Chicago Bulls
Our prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves to cover the spread
The moneyline on Minnesota will be far too short to play, so I’m taking the Wolves on the spread. Chicago have lost by 43, 35 and 30 in the last three weeks, they’re allowing almost 130 a game, and they arrive on the second night of a back-to-back.
Minnesota have the rest edge, a defense allowing 107.7 and a scorer in Dosunmu who’s put up 21 or more in each of the last three games. The risk is a big lead and an early exit for the starters, which can let a bad team back through the door in garbage time.
We’d take Minnesota up to -10.5, at 1.45 or bigger. If the number opens above 11, the Wolves’ team total over is the better route against this Chicago defense.
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