After a rough Game 2 in the Western Conference Finals, Julius Randle had another strong performance. He scored 24 points, serving as one of the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ standout players against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This was a cathartic performance for Randle because he had a tough night on Thursday, which led to Anthony Edwards showing love to his teammate. It was a well-deserved win for the Timberwolves, as they blew the Thunder out 143-101.
Any player would have struggled to recover from such a bad performance in Game 2. However, Randle made sure to keep his head down and prove he was one of the Timberwolves’ best players. It was a rare bad night for him in this postseason when he has been a top performer.
It is a testament to his character because he proved he could perform at the highest level after such a rough night. He deserves praise for bouncing back and instilling hope in the Timberwolves community.
Edwards Showers Randle With Praise For His Approach
Randle’s good performance in Game 3 erased his struggles from the previous game. This version of Randle is familiar to Timberwolves fans because he has been the standout player in the Playoffs alongside Edwards.
Coach Chris Finch should be glad that Randle is back because they need their star players firing on all cylinders. With Edwards and Randle playing this way, they have a chance of pulling off the upset against the Thunder.
After the game, Edwards showed love to his veteran teammate, who should get more praise.
“He’s a vet, man. A vet knows what to do, he knows how to respond, he knows not to take nothing too personal. He came in with the right energy at shootaround this morning I could see it in his eyes, man. He wanted his respect back, and he got it,” Edwards said after Game 3.
Randle Will Do What The Team Needs
It was rough for Randle to sit on the bench during the fourth quarter of Game 3. Coach Finch wanted to stick with Naz Reid because it was working. However, that meant Randle had to take a backseat.
That is not a good feeling for any top-level player, but he did not complain. He knew he could bounce back if he worked harder, which he did in practice and at shootaround.
“It’s all about winning, and regardless, as a competitor, you don’t want your emotions to overtake what is best for the team. I want to play, but it’s all about the team. I wanted to make sure that I came in the same if it’s a good day or a bad day,” Randle said after Game 3.
That is the right approach to have after what happened in Game 2. This also means the environment is good within the Timberwolves locker room because everyone is locked in to perform to the best of their abilities to get an NBA Finals berth by beating the best team in the league.
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