SAN FRANCISCO — When the Minnesota Timberwolves were in their deepest trouble in Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors, when it looked like they could be headed toward a loss that would not only embolden their opponent, but open the door for injured star Steph Curry, they did what they have done so many times this season. They turned to Julius Randle.
Trailing by five with just over seven minutes to play, Randle put Draymond Green on his left hip as he took a bounce pass from Anthony Edwards. Randle cleared Green out with a simple rotation of his hips, dispatching the all-world defender as he surged to the basket. Randle’s head nearly cleared the rim as he elevated and threw down a massive dunk that ignited the Timberwolves.
On the next possession, Randle fed Edwards for a driving layup to cut the deficit to one point. Then he found Edwards for a 3-pointer. In a matter of 43 seconds, the Wolves went from trailing 82-77 to leading 84-82, and Randle wasn’t done there.
He made the pass to Jaden McDaniels to spring him for a dunk attempt that drew Green’s sixth foul. He made an over-hand bullet pass to McDaniels on the wing for a 3-pointer that put the Wolves up six. He dropped off a pass to Rudy Gobert for a dunk and three-point play, and then he grabbed the rebound of his life with 1:34 to play before hitting Edwards with a pass for a corner 3 that sealed the win.
Read more on Randle and the Wolves below.
GO FURTHER
Julius Randle, no longer a playoff question, has had all the answers for the Timberwolves
