Over the past 11 games Julius Randle has played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team has remained unbeaten. That is a testament to Randle's impact on the team because he has been brilliant despite not having the gaudiest stats.
The veteran forward is mostly known for his rebounding and scoring, but he has turned it up during his Timberwolves stint. He has become a much more versatile player, serving as a top playmaker for the team.
Across the last 11 games, Julius Randle has averaged a rock-solid 18.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. The playmaking has been arguably the best part of his game, shining in head coach Chris Finch's system.
The former Kentucky Wildcat has grown into his role as the second-best player on the team behind Anthony Edwards. It took him a while to get acclimated into the Timberwolves system, but he has grown well and has become one of the best players.
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Randle Knows His Role for the Timberwolves
Coach Finch was ecstatic for his team because he had seen Edwards and Randle emerge as playmakers in the recent stretch. He loves seeing the team play unselfish basketball even when Mike Conley Jr. is not on the court.
Ant and Julius have put in a concerted effort to showcase that they can utilize their advanced passing to improve the team. However, they can also step up whenever their scoring is needed.
It was evident during the Timberwolves' blowout win against the Denver Nuggets when Randle took over with a 25-point, 10-rebound, and nine-assist night.
"It's really just about reading the game. For me, they're gonna double team me, cool, I can make the right play," Randle said after the win against Denver. "If they're playing me straight one-on-one, then I'll take advantage of that."
Julius Randle playmaking out of the post against the hornets
Randle's gravity helps the wolves O a lot, especially creating open threes, and this is reflected in 3P%s
3p% diff w randle vs w/o randle
NAW: +0.6%
ant +7.1%
Conley: +1%
Jmac: +1.6%
Rob: +17.8% pic.twitter.com/Xe2g2eovE6
— g (@freewave3) March 6, 2025
The Timberwolves are Finding Their Form Just In Time
To start the season, the Timberwolves did not perform as consistently well as they would have liked. That was understandable because the team had some injuries as they had to adjust to the new players.
Randle and Donte DiVincenzo came in from the New York Knicks in a trade that sent previous franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns to the East Coast. It was a massive change for the team and new arrivals because they had to adjust to a new locker room culture and system.
Through the past few months, Julius and Donte have consistently worked on improving and fitting in well in the system. They have found their stride recently, quickly becoming two of the team's best players.
DiVincenzo is locked into a lengthy contract with the Timberwolves. Fans often see his four-year, $46.8 million deal as one of the best in the league. Randle is aiming to get a contract extension with Minnesota. With his recent performances, he is worthy of getting that contract.
Versatility has become a huge strength for Randle because the team needs more production from certain areas. They might not have the best lineup yet, but with Randle playing as well as he does, this Timberwolves team could pull off some surprising upsets in the Playoffs.
Related: The Timberwolves are Peaking at the Right Time Under Chris Finch
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This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 8:00 AM.