The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a surprising 117-106 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, ending their five-game winning streak. Despite entering the matchup as heavy favorites, Minnesota struggled to match Chicago’s energy and intensity, allowing a team that had won just three of its first 12 games to dictate the pace.

Following the loss, LaMelo Ball offered an unusually candid assessment of what Minnesota could take away from the disappointing performance. As shared by Dane Moore NBA on X, Ball compared the defeat to receiving a necessary reality check, saying, “We got our head busted in. So, sh*t, we should be ready to play.” When asked whether a setback like that could help a team refocus, he added, “Hell yeah. Like a little ass-whooping by your pops or something, to get you back on track. You need that.”

LaMelo Ball when asked what Minnesota can take from tonight's loss to Chicago.

"I mean, shit — we got our head busted in. So shit, we should be ready to play."

Asked if sometimes you need a reminder like that.

"Hell yeah. Like a little ass-whooping by your pops or something,… pic.twitter.com/opggekOpo1

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) November 15, 2026

Ball also pointed to the Timberwolves' lack of urgency as a major factor. Chicago was playing the second game of a back-to-back after dealing with significant travel delays, but Minnesota failed to take advantage of the circumstances. The Bulls established control early, building a 29-17 lead in the first quarter before carrying a 13-point advantage into halftime.

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Minnesota also struggled to find its rhythm offensively. The Timberwolves shot 41.8% from the field and made only nine of 38 attempts from beyond the arc. Ball finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals, but shot just 7-of-25 overall and 4-of-19 from three-point range.

Head coach Chris Finch also criticized the team's defensive effort. Minnesota will now have to respond quickly, with a back-to-back against Portland approaching. LaMelo Ball believes Saturday's defeat could provide the wake-up call the Timberwolves need.