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Week 16 of the 2020-21 NBA season will come to an end with the Minnesota Timberwolves hosting the Chicago Bulls at the Target Center on Sunday.
The Chicago Bulls' three-game winning run ended in their last outing, as they fell to a 108-120 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to endure frustrating defeats that come with a season of rebuilding their roster.
Match Details
Fixture: Chicago Bulls vs Minnesota Timberwolves | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Sunday, April 11th, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Monday, April 12th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN.
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves season is a foregone conclusion. They have been at the bottom of the league standings almost all year as injury woes plagued their campaign early, and they could never recover from that.
They are coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss against the Boston Celtics in their last outing. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double with 30 points and 12 rebounds. But that wasn't enough to win the game for the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum dropped a career-high 53 points to lead his team to a win.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have lost nine of their last 12 games. To make things worse for the already struggling franchise, they have the eighth-toughest schedule in the league going forward.
Their roster took a big hit when Malik Beasley went down with an injury a few days ago. He was diagnosed with a Grade 3 hamstring injury and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Key Player - Anthony Edwards
Although their star center Karl-Anthony Towns is back and averaging great numbers, the highlight of the Minnesota Timberwolves season has been their rookie Anthony Edwards.
He is the frontrunner for the 'Rookie of the Year' award, as he is averaging 20.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals ever since he became a starter. Edwards recorded a career-high 42 points and led his team to victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Ricky Rubio | Shooting Guard - D'Angelo Russell | Small Forward - Anthony Edwards | Power Forward - Jaden McDaniels | Center - Karl-Anthony Towns.
Chicago Bulls Preview
After the Chicago Bulls added Nikola Vucevic at the NBA trade deadline, fans and analysts expected them to dominate and climb up the Eastern Conference standings.
However, in the eight games, Vucevic has played so far in the Windy City, the Chicago Bulls have gone 3-5, which includes losses in their first four games. Nevertheless, Vucevic is averaging great numbers, posting 23 points and 10.3 rebounds a game while shooting at 51% from the floor.
The Chicago Bulls are tenth in the Eastern Conference standings but just one win ahead of the Toronto Raptors, who could edge them out of the play-in spots.
Coach Billy Donovan needs to figure out the right strategies and rotations to accommodate Nikola Vucevic in the lineup. The Bulls face a moderately tough schedule going ahead, and if they pull up their socks, they could grab a higher spot in the postseason.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine dropped 50 points for the Atlanta Hawks in his last outing, but that wasn't enough to outdo Trae Young and co.
LaVine recorded 39 points in the first half to become the first Chicago Bull player to score 30+ points in the first half of a game since Michael Jordan in 1997. Many analysts have called LaVine a superstar in the making.
He is averaging 27.5 points per game on remarkable 51/42/85 shooting splits and was named a first-time All-Star this season.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Tomas Satoransky | Shooting Guard - Zach LaVine | Small Forward - Patrick Williams | Power Forward - Thaddeus Young | Center - Nikola Vucevic.
Bulls vs Timberwolves Match Prediction
The Chicago Bulls are the obvious favorites to win this game based on their roster depth.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are at the bottom of the conference and intend to tank the rest of the season to guarantee themselves a high draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Nevertheless, the center battle between Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Vucevic could be an enticing one tonight.
Where to watch the Chicago Bulls vs Minnesota Timberwolves game?
The Chicago Bulls vs Minnesota Timberwolves game will be locally televised on Bally Sports North and NBC Sports Chicago. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Player in Focus: Kyrie Irving and his journey so far with the Brooklyn Nets | NBA Season 2020-21
