Julius Randle returned to the Timberwolves’ lineup on Sunday in Phoenix after missing Minnesota’s last month of action.
Randle suffered a groin strain at the end of January, and then ESPN insider Shams Charania reported the forward was away from the team for the last week “tending to a family matter.” The Wolves went 5-8 in his 13-game absence.
While drawing the ire of the local fan base for much of the season, Randle’s importance has been largely validated over the last month. There have been games in his absence — particularly against downtrodden teams like Washington and Utah — that Minnesota likely would have won with the additional production of a forward who consistently puts up 20 points and five-plus assists.
More of those contests are on the horizon with Minnesota’s schedule softening significantly in its upcoming stretch.
Plus, Minnesota was playing well when Randle went down with the injury. The game he exited against Utah marked Minnesota’s fifth straight victory. Randle and the Wolves had seemingly found a way to mesh his abilities with the rest of the roster. That often included Randle playing in lineups that included more reserves, which allowed him minutes to push the pace and serve as a focal point of the team’s attack.
Randle’s return is especially beneficial for Minnesota given the Wolves’ depleted front court. Rudy Gobert was out again Sunday. The center has yet to play a game post all-star break due to back spasms. The Wolves have been rolling out small-ball lineups featuring Naz Reid at the center position and Jaden McDaniels at power forward. While those combinations are intriguing, they haven’t proven fruitful to Minnesota’s overall record.
The duo of Randle and Reid still represents a small big-man combo, but combining those two with McDaniels at the small forward spot gives Minnesota some legitimate size up front. That was Minnesota’s starting front court on Sunday.
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The Wolves entered Sunday’s action in ninth-place in the Western Conference, and must turn the tide quickly if they’re to work their way into the top six of the standings by season’s end to avoid the play-in tournament.
Anthony Edwards also returned to action Sunday following his one-game suspension served for accruing 16 technical fouls over the weekend. Edwards was also fined $35,000 by the NBA for throwing the ball into the stands after he was ejected in Thursday’s loss to the Lakers.
With Donte DiVincenzo playing his third consecutive game Sunday, the Wolves are now nearing full health just in time to make a potential playoff push.
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