After an underwhelming start to their Conference Finals series against the Thunder, the Timberwolves bounced back with a statement win in Game 3. Led by the usual culprits — Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle — the Wolves put on a monstrous performance, decimating the Thunder by 42 points. While Ant-Man has received plenty of praise, and rightfully so, Julius Randle’s showing flew a bit under the radar. Dwyane Wade, however, made sure to give Randle his flowers.
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Wade’s new podcast, WYNetwork, has been making waves in the basketball community for some time now, with its in-depth, on-point analysis helping fans reshape their opinions on various players. In the latest episode, Wade made sure to shout out the former Knicks frontman for completely transforming his image around the league during the playoffs.
Randle was always seen as a solid player, but during his stints in Los Angeles and New York, he earned the reputation of being a playoff dropper. Wade credited him for turning that perception around. In both of his previous teams, Randle was expected to play a certain role, but Wade pointed out that in Minnesota, Edwards’ leadership has allowed Randle to stay true to his own game.
“Julius Randle is somebody that people like to sh*t on,” began Wade. “They want to throw Julius Randle away. They thought that when he went to Minnesota, they threw him away. Now he’s here. And I love the fact that he’s getting the chance to shine.
“The empowerment of everything around Julius, and it’s allowed Julius Randle just to be him,” the Hall of Famer added.
After Game 2, where Randle was benched in the fourth quarter, many believed his dream playoff run had come to an end, and that he had simply overperformed up to that point. But his response in Game 3 proved it was just an anomaly.
He dropped 24 points in just 30 minutes at home, shooting an efficient 60% from the field and posting a +38 plus-minus in the win. With zero turnovers and sharp offensive execution, Randle played a key role in helping the Wolves claw their way back into the series after dropping the first two games in Oklahoma.
The key to the Minnesota franchise’s playoff success admittedly lies in Randle’s hands.
Edwards will draw double-teams from opposing defenses, and understandably so. That’s where Randle must step up and prove that he’s not just a trade asset, but a force in his own right.
His unique ability to bully his way to the basket and draw fouls will be crucial in the games ahead. The quicker he can get defenders into foul trouble, the more space Edwards will have to exploit them in isolation.
