The Chicago Bulls pulled off an impressive road win on Saturday. They arrived in Minnesota on game day and snapped the Timberwolves‘ five-game winning streak. The 117-106 loss left plenty of questions for Chris Finch’s team. LaMelo Ball did not try to sugarcoat what the result meant for the team.
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” Yeah, I mean, sh–, we got our head busted in, so sh–, we should be ready to play.”
The defeat clearly left LaMelo Ball frustrated, but he also saw it as a possible wake-up call for the team. The 25-year-old guard was then asked whether teams sometimes need a reality check during a long season. “Yeah, yeah, sure. like a little a– whoopen by your pops or something, get you back on track, sh–, we need that,” Ball said via Andrew Dukowitz on X
The Timberwolves entered the matchup with momentum but struggled from the opening quarter. They managed just 17 points in the first quarter, their lowest-scoring quarter of the season. Their shooting problems only got worse from there.
Minnesota missed its first 13 attempts from beyond the arc and finished the night shooting 9-of-38 from three-point range. LaMelo Ball struggled to find his rhythm from deep, finishing 4-of-19 from three-point range.
His late-game shot selection also became a talking point after the loss. Finch was asked whether he wanted LaMelo Ball to keep taking those shots despite the poor shooting night.
“I mean, yeah, you want him to stay confident in his shot but I do also think their were plenty of opportunities to get to the paint. Not just for him but for others too.”
The Bulls also made life difficult for Minnesota as several players stepped up offensively.
Norman Powell led the way with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists, while also recording two blocks. Matas Buzelis added 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Tre Jones contributed 16 points on an efficient 7-of-9 from the field, along with four assists and two blocks. Buddy Hield provided another important scoring option.
He finished with 16 points and knocked down four of his six attempts from beyond the arc. Pat Williams chipped in 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. This prevented the Timberwolves from finding an easy route back into the contest. While LaMelo Ball’s shooting attracted attention, Rudy Gobert’s performance presented a separate problem for Minnesota.
The French center finished with just one point in 27 minutes and missed all seven of his field-goal attempts. His inability to convert around the basket has become increasingly concerning. Finch did not hide his frustration when asked about Gobert’s struggles near the rim.
“Because he hasn’t been able to finish. He’s getting stripped, he’s missing layups, he’s not finishing strong. He’s gotta get on balance, collect and finish strong. Sometimes it’s gonna be through contact. We need him to get his finishing back around the paint.”
Through 12 games this season, Rudy Gobert has already had four outings without a made field goal, including Saturday’s 0-for-7 performance against Chicago.
Now, the five-game winning streak is gone, and Minnesota has several problems to address. Be it three-point shooting or defense, by their standards. Finch did not shy away from addressing the problems. And LaMelo Ball’s comments suggest the defeat could serve as the wake-up call the team needed.