Game 8: Minnesota (4-3) at Chicago (3-5), Nov 7th, 7 pm cst | NBA TV

[Devilzsidewalk]

Timberwolves:
no injuries

Bulls:
Status ! Day-to-day | LaVine (thigh) | Game Time Decision

Status | Out | Ball (wrist) | Expected to be out until at least Nov 11

[Devilzsidewalk]

some random defense thoughts...

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defense-dash-overall?CF=GP*GE*4&dir=D&sort=PCT_PLUSMINUS

and

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/opponent-shooting?dir=D&sort=Less%20Than%205%20ft.%20FG%20PCT

Very noisy metrics this early in the season as far as reflecting overall ability, but not necessarily inaccurate for defensive performance-to-date imo as long as you take into account that a couple lucky (or bad for that matter) shooting nights can skew heavily.

But the overall trend is pretty poor (by our standards) - last year we didn't have a single player in the black for defensive fg% allowed. Monte Morris was the closest at -0.4% under average. This year is a different story. 5 of the 8 rotation players are giving up a higher than average fg%. Only Rudy, Conley, and Randle are negative.

The team defense stats have some intrigue though. We are currently #1 in the NBA in 3 point fg% allowed (special thanks to Charlotte). The less than 5 feet starts to get a little more alarming: 9th worst at 65% allowed. I think we're probably seeing that Naz/Randle frontcourt in there, as well as guards not doing enough to prevent penetration.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Go Wolves! good last performance to be confirmed tonight.

[_AIJ_]

Patrick Williams are you **** kidding me

[_AIJ_]

Their 3 pt shooting is so BS

[FrenchMinnyFan]

They get hot at 3. Won't last. I'm always annoyed when we give the all to Rudy inside and he have to dribble or make a move... a miss in 90% of the case.

[wolves_89]

I'm still trying to figure out if Randle's very poor help defense is due to lack of recognition or lack of effort.

[El Hespiritu]

I wrote before this would be best Randle's game with The Tundra uniform.

He doesn't apparently trust my prophetic powers.

Filthy heathen...

[Calinks]

Death, taxes, and the Bulls whooping our ass every NBA Season.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Defense is beyond bad when Rudy sit. Randle make zero effort, and NAZ not much more...

[TimberKat]

I don't like how the qtr ended. Can't have Ant with the ball. 9 out 10 times ends in something stupid

[wolves_89]

Wolves have missed a ton of shots within 5 ft of the basket. The frustrating part is it's not really due to good defense by the Bulls.

[El Hespiritu]

Ant's not yet here when it comes to be primary ballhandler (aka PG).

He's an assassin, not a commander.

[cupcakesnake]

I'm still trying to figure out if Randle's very poor help defense is due to lack of recognition or lack of effort.

Hard to assess the recognition with him giving so little effort.
He looks like he's pretending to play defense. Going through the motions without caring at all about actually getting a stop.

[wolves_89]

Wolves have fed Gobert in the paint 4 times tonight and zero points to show for those possessions (2 badly missed shots by Rudy and 1 turnover).

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Annoyed to see how lazy we are in defense...

[_AIJ_]

Why do they have the Wolves number? This is embarrassing

[Calinks]

Julius making some noise.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I still can't explain how Randle can be so aggressive when it come to offense and make so little effort in defense. We fight. Go Wolves!

[cupcakesnake]

I gotta give Randles his flowers for those 2 possessions though!