Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Struggles in Game 3 loss
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Randle accumulated 12 points (3-12 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT), six rebounds and one steal across 31 minutes during Friday's 115-108 loss to the Spurs in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Randle struggled to get involved offensively, with his first bucket not coming until midway through the second quarter and his next make not arriving until the fourth. He finished as a minus-11 in the seven-point loss, and this marked his first game of the postseason without an assist. Randle will need to be better in Game 4 if the Timberwolves hope to avoid falling into a 1-3 series hole.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Cools off in loss
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Randle produced 12 points (4-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 4-5 FT), five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 27 minutes during Wednesday's 133-95 loss to the Spurs in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Randle had a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double in the 104-102 win over the Spurs to claim Game 1. However, it was a different story in Game 2, with the Spurs cruising to an easy win to tie the series up at one game each. With Anthony Edwards (knee) still working his way back to form after missing time, Randle may be needed to stay more involved offensively if the Timberwolves hope to keep the series competitive. Both clubs will head to Minnesota for Game 3 on Friday night.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Paces Minnesota in Game 1 win
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Randle recorded 21 points (8-20 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 3-6 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal across 41 minutes in Monday's 104-102 win over the Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Randle didn't deliver his most efficient performance, though he still led all players in scoring with Anthony Edwards on a minutes restriction. Randle also tied the team high in rebounds, securing his first double-double since March 3. The veteran forward and the Timberwolves will now look to take a 2-0 series lead in Wednesday's Game 2 in San Antonio.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Scores team-high 27 points in loss
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Randle supplied 27 points (8-15 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-11 FT), nine rebounds, six assists and one steal across 32 minutes during Monday's 125-113 loss to Denver in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Randle carried a heavy load in the loss, as below-average totals from the rest of the starting five built up an unrecoverable deficit. Unlike previous games in the series, Minnesota's defense was unable to restrict Nikola Jokic's production to an acceptable level, and the rest of the Nuggets provided balance behind the big man's masterful triple-double. Randle was able to find room on offense and did most of the work inside, while Rudy Gobert was rendered completely ineffective with only three points. The Timberwolves have successfully neutralized the Nuggets in the series, but they will need continued production from Randle and better defensive effort to close out the series on Thursday.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Ejected in final seconds
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Randle was ejected from Saturday's Game 4 win over the Nuggets with 1.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He finished with 15 points (6-16 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), nine rebounds and two assists across 32 minutes.
Nikola Jokic went straight at Jaden McDaniels after the forward scored a layup in the final seconds when the game was already decided, and the star big man was ejected following a fight that got several players from both teams involved. That includes Randle, who was ejected for trying to go at Jokic before coaches, referees and players broke up the fight. It remains to be seen if the league will take any disciplinary action toward Randle ahead of Game 5, which will be played Monday in Denver. From a fantasy perspective, Randle didn't have his best game, but he may need to handle a higher usage rate in Game 5, particularly if Anthony Edwards (knee) is unable to play.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Strikes for 24 in Game 2 win
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Randle contributed 24 points (7-14 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 8-10 FT), nine rebounds and six assists across 36 minutes during Monday's 119-114 win over Denver in Game 2 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
The veteran forward stepped up his production after a fairly tame 16-point performance in Game 1 on Saturday. Randle sat out the last three games of the regular season due to a sore right hand, but it doesn't appear to be impacting him much in the playoffs, as he's shooting 46.7 percent from the floor so far. He'll look to stay productive as the series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Thursday.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Struggles shooting in Game 1
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Randle racked up 16 points (7-16 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes during Saturday's 116-105 loss to Denver in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Randle had trouble finding the bottom of the net in Game 1, especially from behind the arc. To be fair, Randle was far from the only Minnesota player to have trouble with his accuracy, with Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards sinking only two of a combined 13 attempts from downtown. The 31-year-old averaged 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals in four meetings with the Nuggets during the regular season, so there's a good chance he'll find his rhythm at some point in this series, potentially as early as Game 2 on Monday night.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Not listed on injury report
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Randle (hand) isn't listed on the injury report for Saturday's Game 1 against Denver.
Randle missed Minnesota's final three regular-season games due to a right hand issue, though he's set to return for the start of the playoffs. Over his last 10 regular-season appearances, the veteran forward averaged 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.9 minutes per showing.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Ruled out versus Pelicans
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Randle (hand) is listed as out for Sunday's game against New Orleans.
The Timberwolves are locked into the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. As a result, Randle and the rest of the Timberwolves' starting lineup won't suit up for the final game of the regular season. Without Randle in the equation, Julian Phillips and Enrique Freeman should see more work, with at least one of those players potentially entering the starting lineup.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Won't play Friday
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Randle (hand) is out for Friday's game against the Rockets.
Randle will be sidelined for his second straight contest after failing to shed his questionable tag. Kyle Anderson could step into an increased role with this news.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Iffy for Friday
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Randle (hand) is questionable for Friday's game against the Rockets.
Randle took a seat for the second half of Minnesota's back-to-back Wednesday due to a right hand issue, but he'll have an opportunity to return for Friday's clash. Minnesota should have another update on the forward's availability after observing him go through shootaround and warmups.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Won't play vs. Orlando
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Randle is out for Wednesday's game against the Magic due to right hand soreness.
Randle is one of several players who will miss the Timberwolves' second leg of this back-to-back set, as Ayo Dosunmu (rest), Anthony Edwards (knee) and Mike Conley (rest) are also out. With Randle sidelined, expect Kyle Anderson and Naz Reid to see more minutes in Minnesota's frontcourt. Randle's next chance to return will come against the Rockets on Friday.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Leads Minnesota in loss
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Randle totaled 27 points (9-15 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 7-10 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one steal over 35 minutes during Thursday's 113-108 loss to the Pistons.
Randle had to step up offensively due to the absence of Anthony Edwards (knee), and the veteran forward responded with a 27-point effort. It was his best scoring output since March 17, when he had 32 points in a win over the Suns. Randle has scored at least 24 points in three of his last four appearances, and he should remain the Timberwolves' No. 1 option on offense as long as Edwards isn't 100 percent healthy.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Leads Minnesota to victory
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Randle ended with 24 points (9-14 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 3-7 FT), three rebounds and four assists across 31 minutes during Monday's 124-94 victory over the Mavericks.
Even though Anthony Edwards returned in this win over the Mavs, Randle was the scoring leader for Minnesota once again. The veteran forward has scored over 20 points in just two of his last five appearances, and while he's a proven scoring threat, his numbers are expected to take a hit now that Edwards is back in the mix. Look for Randle to operate as the Timberwolves' No. 2 offensive option moving forward.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Struggles with shot in win
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Randle amassed nine points (3-14 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-4 FT), nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in 29 minutes during Sunday's 102-92 victory over Boston.
Randle had one of his worst shooting performances of the season Sunday, and that resulted in his first single-digit scoring performance since a four-point performance (1-10 FG) in a win over the Clippers on Feb. 26. One bad game won't define Randle, and it shouldn't remove him from his role of being the team's go-to scoring weapon as long as Anthony Edwards (knee) remains out. Randle is still averaging 18.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 12 outings since the beginning of March.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Paces scoring attack
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Randle produced 32 points (10-17 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 10-13 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and three steals in 33 minutes during Tuesday's 116-104 win over Phoenix.
Randle racked up 32 points for a second straight game and provided plenty of scoring with Minnesota missing the services of Anthony Edwards (knee). Edwards has been ruled out for at least the next week, meaning the Timberwolves' offense should continue to run through Randle for the next three games or so.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Nets game-high 32 points in loss
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Randle chipped in 32 points (11-18 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 7-8 FT), seven rebounds, six assists and one block across 35 minutes during Sunday's 116-103 loss to the Thunder.
Randle finally had a good game against the Thunder, but with the rest of his teammates struggling, the Timberwolves weren't able to get the win. Minnesota has really struggled with early games this season, and they've now dropped four of their past five contests.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Struggles from field again
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Randle produced 11 points (3-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-6 FT), six rebounds, four assists and one steal over 28 minutes during Wednesday's 153-128 loss to the Clippers.
Randle was coming off a 14-point performance in the loss to the Lakers during the first leg of this back-to-back set, and the veteran forward continues to ride a woeful stretch in which his scoring numbers have fallen off significantly. This was his fourth straight game without reaching the 20-point mark. Over that stretch, the veteran forward is shooting 41.3 percent from the floor and 16.7 percent from three, numbers well below his season-long averages.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Limited to 14 points
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Randle chipped in 14 points (5-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and two assists over 26 minutes during Tuesday's 120-106 loss to the Lakers.
Randle was the most consistent starter during the loss, but his total fell well below his seasonal average of 21.2 points. His seven rebounds were on target with his seasonal average, but Randle and the first unit were unable to mount a rally when it mattered most. Randle will look to redeem himself across town against the Clippers on Wednesday.
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Timberwolves' Julius Randle: Just misses double-double in loss
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Randle ended with 14 points (6-14 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and two steals over 26 minutes during Saturday's 119-92 loss to Orlando.
The veteran forward came up one board short of his 16th double-double of the season. Randle has pulled down at least eight rebounds in seven of the last 12 games, averaging 18.0 points, 7.5 boards, 4.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 threes over that span.
