NBA Summer League 2016: Timberwolves vs. Bulls TV Schedule and Predictions
The Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves will play for a championship Monday.
As odd as it sounds, so it goes in the NBA Summer League. Is the game a preview of the future? A future where Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler take on Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns?
Maybe. For now, NBA fans will have to settle for watching core future pieces of each franchise contend, ranging from Minnesota point guard Tyus Jones to Chicago forward Bobby Portis.
Here's a full look at what should be an entertaining title game.
| July 18 | 9 p.m. | Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Chicago Bulls | ESPN2 | WatchESPN |
Minnesota Player to Watch: Tyus Jones
Did anyone mention the Timberwolves were the 24th seed in the tournament, one spanning 11 days and 67 games?
The franchise has Jones to thank for its unexpected summer success. According to a press release from the NBA, Jones is the league MVP after posting averages of 19.4 points, 6.3 assists and four rebounds per game.
Other young notables such as Adreian Payne have helped along the way, but it has mostly been the Jones show. He's been all over the court, changing the national narrative about his pro hurdles in a hurry.
ESPN.com's Myron Medcalf put it best:
Jones only comes in at 6'2" and 195 pounds, so he's faced his fair share of criticism after coming off the board 24th in the 2015 draft.
Were it not for a court general like Jones, Minnesota wouldn't be in the title game right now. As the team pointed out, he averaged 22.8 points and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor over the team's four-game tear.
Jones is a great story, and his role this summer will help him etch out a little more real estate in a crowded Minnesota backcourt.
Chicago Player to Watch: Denzel Valentine
It's hard to pick out a Chicago player to focus on when there are so many options.
The aforementioned Portis has managed 15.8 points and 9.3 boards per game, while intriguing upside player Cristiano Felicio sits on 11.3 and six, respectively.
Michigan State product Denzel Valentine stands as the most interesting, though. He's averaged 12.3 points, 2.7 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game as the do-it-all man for the Bulls, shooting 35.9 percent from the floor.
As the numbers show, Valentine hasn't been producing only for himself. He's shown he has strong vision and awareness right out of the gates, as NBA TV captured:
At one point this offseason, Valentine looked like a critical piece of Chicago's rebuild for the future, as the team seemed ready to go with a youthful lineup and hope for the best down the road.
Those plans changed after Wade and Rondo came aboard, but Valentine remains a key part of the outlook. The front office in Chicago has to like what it sees given the expectations placed on the Michigan State product so far, and fans get to see a glimpse of the future one last time Monday.
Predictions
Everybody loves an underdog.
That has partially made Jones' run so special. It's the extreme of the extreme—a 24th seed going up against a Bulls team with so many recognizable faces.
Look for Jones to put on another show, as no one on Chicago can keep up with him; his epic tear doesn't seem anywhere close to an end. Valentine will score as usual, and Chicago should dominate the glass, but the outright scoring advantage goes to Jones and the Timberwolves.
Momentum is a major factor in the NBA. Chicago might be 6-0, but Minnesota has the chemistry and momentum to hoist a trophy and further solidify the franchise's strong future.
Prediction: Timberwolves 89, Bull 85
Stats and information courtesy of NBA.com unless otherwise specified.
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