Bulls Beat Timberwolves 133–116 as Wilson Leads a Balanced Chicago Attack

CHICAGO — The Bulls did not need a 30-point scorer to keep Minnesota chasing them Friday night. Caleb Wilson supplied production across the box score, Matas Buzelis worked inside the arc and Chicago kept finding points after its starters left the floor.

Chicago defeated the Timberwolves 133–116 at the United Center on October 16, following Wednesday’s win in Milwaukee with another preseason victory. Wilson finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Buzelis added 14 points and six rebounds, while Josh Giddey contributed 12 points, four rebounds and four assists in fewer than 20 minutes.

The separation developed across the evening rather than arriving through one overwhelming quarter. Chicago led 33–28 after the first, added another 34 points in the second and reached halftime ahead 67–60. A 31–28 third quarter pushed the margin to ten, leaving the Bulls in front 98–88 entering the fourth.

Chicago’s starters provided different pieces of that offense. Wilson made seven of 15 shots, including two of five three-pointers. Buzelis went five of nine overall without making a three, getting his remaining four points at the free-throw line. Giddey made four field goals and all three of his free throws. The Bulls had enough sources of scoring to build the lead without asking one player to take over every possession.

There was a different shooting pattern from Wednesday’s 125–104 win over the Bucks. In Milwaukee, Chicago made 20 three-pointers and Buzelis hit five. Against Minnesota, Buzelis went scoreless from beyond the arc, but the Bulls continued to score. Their offense was not waiting for him to repeat that long-range performance before finding another way forward.

Leonard Miller supplied 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Tre Jones added eight points and five assists without a turnover, converting four of six shots. Those contributions helped extend Chicago’s attack beyond the opening group. Jones’ production came in just under 14 minutes, while Miller gave the Bulls more than 20 minutes of work in the frontcourt.

Norman Powell scored nine points and made two of four three-pointers in 14 minutes. Jalen Smith finished with five points, five rebounds and three assists in 13 minutes. With several starters playing shortened preseason shifts, Chicago had room to evaluate other combinations without handing away the advantage its opening group had established.

Jordan Hawkins finished with 14 points, making four of five three-pointers, and added three assists, two steals and a block. Chicago’s reserves combined for 77 points. The Bulls shot 51.5 percent overall, made 12 of 36 threes and scored 76 points in the paint. Their 33 assists on 50 made field goals reflected the number of players involved in creating the offense.

Minnesota played without Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and former Bull Ayo Dosunmu, all listed as not playing in the official box score. That limited the value of treating Friday’s result as a preview of a regular-season meeting between the clubs. The Bulls still had to execute against the players on the floor, but this was not a test against Minnesota’s full lineup.