After four hotly contested quarters, the Minnesota Timberwolves (3-2) dominated overtime, defeating the Chicago Bulls (4-3) by a score of 102-93.
Young talent was the driving force for Minnesota, as sophomore Andrew Wiggins led the way with a game-high 31 points and first overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns put up 17 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks. Rookie Euroleague convert Nemenja Bjelica also impressed despite coming off the bench, playing 40 minutes and posting a double-double. The young squad played effective defense, holding the Bulls to just 35.5 percent shooting and forcing 18 turnovers, including a lost pass from Derrick Rose to seal the deal in overtime.
While the Bulls were able to hold their own inside, backcourt struggles ultimately ended up costing them the game down the stretch. Starting guards Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler combined to go just 7-for-28 on the night and turned the ball over five times each. This was a stark contrast from the duo’s previous outing against OKC, in which the two combined for 53 points. Ultimately, Saturday appears to be nothing more than an off night for the Chicago backcourt, as the duo was averaging 35 points per game on 44 percent shooting between them.
Minnesota, coming off a league-worst 16 wins in 2014-15, advances to 3-2. The team will look to extend their surprisingly strong start on Monday as they face a challenging matchup against the Eastern Conference powerhouse Hawks in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Bulls will prepare to travel to Philadelphia on Monday to take on the 76ers.
