Chicago's preseason has been about Caleb Wilson. The No. 4 pick had a team-high 15 in a win over Phoenix, then 21 in a 104-100 loss to Memphis with 5 threes, then 17 and 5 assists at Denver. In the 125-104 win at Milwaukee the shot went cold, 4-of-11 in 24 minutes, but that came against a Bucks team that sat its whole projected starting group. Fellow rookie Dailyn Swain looked steady from the start, with 10 points and 6 assists in the opener without missing a shot.
Both injury lists are heavy on big men, and that's the real story of this game. Nic Claxton tweaked a hamstring and is out for the rest of the preseason. Zach Collins has a toe injury, and Tobe Awaka and Isaac Okoro both missed the Milwaukee game. Jalen Smith has been starting at center for coach Tiago Splitter. Awaka is only 6'8" but was the best rebounder on the floor in the opener, with 14 points and 11 boards, 6 of them offensive, in 21 minutes. If Awaka's knee keeps the two-way rookie out, the Bulls are very short on size against a Minnesota team Detroit just beat up on the glass.
Watch the minutes more than the final score. Minnesota is 5 days from opening night, so how long Edwards, Ball and Kuminga play will say more about the opener than the result does. For Chicago, the question is how Splitter lines up the rotation, with Wilson and Swain getting real minutes while Patrick Williams didn't get in against Phoenix until midway through the 3rd quarter. Tip is 7:00 PM CT.