The Chicago Bulls arrive in Minneapolis with a chance to turn a recent spark into a statement. The Minnesota Timberwolves, searching for answers after three straight losses, may be getting a timely lift of their own. The headline Thursday night at Target Center: Josh Giddey is trending up for Chicago, and Julius Randle is tracking to suit up for Minnesota in a cross-conference game that should move fast and score big.

Both clubs carry clear storylines into this one. The Bulls (21-22, ninth in the East) have stacked two emphatic wins, including a 28-point rout their last time out. The Timberwolves (27-17, seventh in the West) are elite at home (15-6) but sit on a skid that has tightened the race in the Northwest. Tip is 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM local), and the early numbers tilt toward the home side with Minnesota favored by 8.5. Totals vary by source—one notable feed lists 239.5, while an outlier low figure appears elsewhere—so expect a high-scoring lean.

Final injury report: Josh Giddey upgraded; Julius Randle trending

Chicago’s big update lands at point guard. Giddey, who’s been managing a hamstring issue, has been upgraded to probable for Thursday. That’s a meaningful swing for the Bulls’ half-court flow and transition pace. He leads the team at 19.2 points per game and sets the table for shooters and cutters, especially when the ball sticks less and the tempo rises.

On the Minnesota side, Randle’s status points toward availability. While formal designations can shift close to tip, there have been no fresh setbacks reported across the preview cycle. Randle has been a key playmaker for the Wolves, averaging 5.4 assists per game, and his ability to draw help, then find Rudy Gobert or spot-up threats, is central to how Minnesota wants to score in the half court.

“If Giddey’s burst is back, Chicago’s offense looks completely different.”

Form guide and stakes: a skid meets a surge

Minnesota has been strong at home (15-6) and remains a tough out in the West, but a three-game slide has raised urgency. The Wolves are 6-4 in their last 10 yet 0-3 most recently, and they sit at 27-17, 9.5 games back in the Northwest behind Oklahoma City and Denver.

Chicago, meanwhile, sits 21-22 and ninth in the East. The Bulls are 5-5 across their last 10 but have strung together a clean two-game streak, beating Brooklyn 124-102 and then blitzing the Clippers 138-110. Road form (7-13) lags behind their home record (14-9), but the recent uptick—and Giddey’s likely return—adds some bite to Thursday’s trip.

Star power and matchups: Edwards, Randle, and the paint battle

Anthony Edwards remains the Wolves’ go-to scorer at 29.9 points per game. His downhill attacks and pull-up game drive everything. When Edwards is cooking, defenses bend; when they bend, Randle’s reads and Gobert’s rolls become easier, and Minnesota’s shooters find rhythm possessions.

For Chicago, Giddey is the head of the snake, but Nikola Vucevic is the anchor on the glass (9.1 rebounds per game). His duel with Gobert—still one of the league’s elite rim protectors and rebounders (11.4 boards)—will set the tone. If Vucevic can keep Gobert off the offensive glass and drag him into space, the Bulls will enjoy cleaner driving lanes and open threes.

One more swing piece: Donte DiVincenzo has been a live wire for Minnesota in recent action, tallying 15 points, five boards, eight assists, and two steals in a loss to Utah. His connective passing and two-way energy can stabilize units when Edwards sits, especially if Randle’s on-ball creation dictates coverage.

“Randle’s playmaking unlocks Gobert; that’s the lever Minnesota needs to pull early.”

Numbers that matter: pace, totals, and the spread

Chicago’s team profile has trended toward offense: 120.1 points per game, 44.7 rebounds, and 26.8 assists. Minnesota’s recent stretch has opened the door for opponents to score, with defensive numbers hovering in the mid-teens allowed per game and a broader game environment often landing in the 115–120 range on both sides. In short: this could be up-and-down.

Books opened with Minnesota as an 8.5-point favorite at home. Totals tracking around 239.5 point to a fast game with shot-making, though at least one source shows a conflicting low number that looks like a data error. The market’s overall signal still leans toward points, especially with Giddey probable and Randle likely in.

What each team needs tonight

• Bulls: Keep the ball moving through Giddey, attack early, and make Gobert defend space. If Vucevic wins his minutes and Chicago’s wings hit open threes, the Bulls can hang late.
• Timberwolves: Get Edwards downhill and let Randle puncture help. Control the glass with Gobert and deny second chances. If bench lineups hold serve, Minnesota’s starters can carry them home.

“If the Wolves clean the boards and keep turnovers down, the skid ends tonight.”

The backdrop: standings and momentum

Context matters. In the East’s Central Division, Chicago trails Detroit (32-10) and Cleveland (25-20). Out West, Minnesota is chasing two powers in Oklahoma City (37-8) and Denver (29-15). A January win doesn’t decide anything, but it does shape the road ahead—especially for a Wolves team that needs to halt a slide and a Bulls side trying to prove the last week wasn’t a blip.

Bottom line

With Giddey upgraded to probable and Randle tracking to play, both teams should look closer to full strength. The Bulls bring recent swagger and an offense that hummed in back-to-back wins. The Timberwolves bring home-court edge, star shot creation in Edwards, and a front line that can tilt the glass. Add it up, and you get a high-speed, high-leverage January game with real meaning on both sides of the standings.

Watch the first six minutes. If Minnesota’s defense sets the tone and the Wolves own the paint, the skid can stop. If Chicago’s guards control tempo and spray the ball to shooters, the Bulls have every chance to make this a game deep into the fourth.