The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a strong showing against the Charlotte Hornets. The hope in their camp is to spark a trail of wins. “I think we all finally locked in,” Naz Reid, the star performer from the last game said. Until now, Anthony Edwards & Co. haven’t managed to win more than two games in a row. Close losses have become a recurring theme. In their road test against the Chicago Bulls, they will hope to ignite their confidence.

The Bulls, playing on a back-to-back, will have the home-court advantage against the Wolves. They’ve managed to pull off some impressive upsets this season, including stunning the Milwaukee Bucks and edging out a win over the Orlando Magic. However, success has been harder to come by against Western Conference teams. Today, that trend continued with a steep loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Still, they have the components and that play selflessly and with great intensity. Big man Nikola Vucevic has turned back the clock with genius scorer DeMar DeRozan leaving in the offseason. He is averaging 20 points for the first time since his first season with the franchise five years ago. Moreover, they also have a brave-hearted guard in Coby White who can takeover offense.

However, their rivals don’t just sit back and rely on their offensive depth. The Wolves are allowing the 10th fewest points to the opposition at a fraction below 110. On the other hand, the Bulls, still young have conceded the 6th most points in the NBA thus far. For the Wolves, the tandem of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle has been key since their synergy started to click.

With a thrilling matchup on hand, let’s look at how healthy each team is.

Minnesota Timberwolves injury report

There was some doubt about Rudy Gobert’s participation before the game against the Hornets, as the French center was dealing with an ankle injury. However, he managed to play through the discomfort, logging 30 minutes. Aside from this, the Wolves have enjoyed a clean bill of health so far this season.

The Knicks’ last-minute trade for Karl-Anthony Towns supplied the Wolves with great depth. Currently, they rank 11th in bench scoring with the likes of Reid and DiVincenzo combining for 36.1 points per game. Moreover, with one day rest, the Wolves are yet to lose any of their three games in the season so far.

Chicago Bulls injury report

The Bulls aren’t as fortunate as the Wolves. They will be without some major contributors when they take on the WCF team at the United Center. Among the most notable absences could be Zach Lavine. Suffering from a right abductor strain, the charismatic guard has missed the last two games for the Bulls.

Lonzo Ball also appears on the injury list for Chicago. The 6’6″ two-way guard who returned after a two-year absence suffered a sprained wrist when the team played the Memphis Grizzlies. Initially, the diagnosis didn’t reveal a serious injury. However, still wearing a splint, Ball could miss more time than the Bulls initially expected.

Minnesota Timberwolves depth chart

Chicago Bulls depth chart

Considering the injuries, even though they are on the road, the Timberwolves should be able to grab a win. However, it’s vital to consider that they have found it difficult to do so on the road with a 1-3 record so far. At the same time, without Lavine, the Bulls lack a relentless scorer which could be essential in a battle against one of the deepest teams in the NBA.

The Timberwolves are to lose to an Eastern Conference team. Do you think the shorthanded Chicago Bulls can stun them? Let us know your views in the comments below.