Randle’s Game 3 Performance a ‘Disaster’
Julius Randle’s performance in Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs was far from ideal. The Timberwolves suffered a 115-108 loss, and Randle’s struggles were a significant factor. It wouldn’t be appropriate to say Randle struggled. He was a disaster.
An early sequence, where Randle passed to Rudy Gobert instead of driving to the rim, foreshadowed his poor performance. Randle has struggled at the worst possible time for the Timberwolves this season.
After playing well in Game 1, Randle’s performance declined in Game 2 and worsened in Game 3.
Lack of Confidence and Intensity
Randle appeared out of sorts from the start. He lacked confidence when attacking the basket. Victor Wembanyama’s size seemed to intimidate him, leading to deferring to teammates or forcing shots.
Randle is usually at his best when playing with swagger, using his size and strength. However, that edge was missing in Game 3. He scored 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting and struggled defensively.
His foul trouble forced coach Chris Finch to adjust the rotation, moving away from a successful small ball lineup.
Edwards’ Strong Performance Not Enough
Anthony Edwards played well, scoring 32 points with 14 rebounds and six assists. That probably would have been enough for the Timberwolves to walk away with a win had they gotten more from Randle.
Jaden McDaniels also struggled shooting, but still made an impact defensively. Randle, on the other hand, made mistakes that directly hurt the Timberwolves or helped the Spurs.
- He settled for a long-range shot instead of attacking the basket.
- He missed a fastbreak layup.
- He was caught ball watching, allowing an easy basket.
- He fouled De’Aaron Fox, gifting him free throws.
These errors proved too much for the Timberwolves to overcome in the final frame.
So good for the Timberwolves as they advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season — 21.7 points and 5.9 rebounds in 15 games — Randle is struggling at the worst possible time for the Timberwolves this season.