Julius Randle dominated the Sacramento Kings in his second game with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The star forward looked much more comfortable than during his season debut against the LA Lakers. Although he put up decent numbers during the season opener, Randles looked a bit slow at times.
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The star forward had a fantastic night, pairing his scoring with efficient shooting. Randle scored 33 points while hitting 13 of his 17 field goal attempts. He shot 76.5% from the field and 83.3% from beyond the arc, nailing five of his six three-point shots. He and Anthony Edwards combined for a total of 65 points to secure the win.
Randle is looking to prove himself as a functional cog in an offense, and not the ball stopper he’s come to be known as around the league. Edwards is helping him settle into the team and get a good rhythm going. The 2x All-Star has made it a point to help the power forward fit in. He said this after Randle’s big outing,
“Ohhhhhhhh my god. We told him this morning, don’t fit around us, we’ll fit around you, and he showed us today.”’
Anthony Edwards when asked about Julius Randle's big game:
“Ohhhhhhhh my god. We told him this morning, don’t fit around us, we’ll fit around you, and he showed us today."pic.twitter.com/QMrmu2fvip
— Wolves Lead (@TWolvesLead) October 25, 2024
Edwards seems to be backing the three-time All-Star to be a big part of the team’s offense from now on. NBA fans and analysts anticipated that Randle would be a supporting star in the background with Ant dominating. But that may not be the case seeing his latest performance and Edwards’ own words.
Randle is a better fit alongside Edwards than KAT
Randle is a dominant big man. He prefers to operate in the mid-range, with strong post moves, drives to the rim, and passes out of the paint. The Timberwolves’ new star is good at all the things that Karl-Anthony Towns struggled with.
Randle is unafraid to get down and dirty in the paint and use his size to get easy buckets. Furthermore, he is a willing passer, showing his expertise while kicking out dimes to the wings and for corner threes.
This is inarguably Julius Randle's most valuable skill. He FORCES you to send a help defender from what should be neutral positions and he matches it with the passing ability to find the open man. This is a fine double from Fox but Randle beats it easily.pic.twitter.com/g08dQyCaPf
— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) October 25, 2024
Randle’s dominance in the paint draws defenders in. He can attract a second defender and find his teammates with pinpoint passes. The star big man showed flashes of this during the game against the Kings as well, really breaking down their defense. Although his post-game surpasses Towns, he has some work to do on his outside shooting.
KAT was known for being an elite outside shooter. Although Randle cannot replicate that same level, he has shown a tendency to be dependable from beyond the arc. He has a smooth shooting form and is unafraid of launching a big three in clutch situations. The game against the Kings showed flashes of his potential beyond the arc. This ability will help his pick-and-roll play with Edwards.
With Randle joining the Wolves, Edwards has a great partner to work with in the pick-and-roll. The star guard will be able to create some devastating sets with his new teammate, even going for the inverted pick-and-roll with Randle handling the ball.
Edwards is still the top dog in the Minnesota Timberwolves. He will drive the team forward and be the superstar with the keys to the offense. But with his great attitude toward teammates, Randle will see a lot of the ball on offense. Head coach Chris Finch is likely going to work out some big strategies involving his new forward and the superstar guard.
