There was a watershed moment for Julius Randle on Wednesday night at Target Center.
After finishing through contact on a fastbreak shortly before halftime, Randle was getting ready to shoot a free throw when he stopped for a few seconds, raised his hand skyward, and implored the home crowd to give him more.
The 19,395 fans in attendance happily obliged, rising to their feet, and showing their love with a deafening roar.
The scene wouldn’t have seemed possible a few months ago when Randle existed mostly as a punching bag for fans as they begrudgingly accepted that he was the replacement for longtime face of the franchise Karl-Anthony Towns.
After arriving from the New York Knicks via a blockbuster trade, the sometimes clunky style of play that Randle brought to the table didn’t help his approval rating as he tried to find his niche with the Timberwolves.
It felt like a marriage that was well on its way to a divorce.
That’s no longer the case as Randle was the best player on the floor for the Timberwolves throughout their 4-1 series win over the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals.
He averaged 25.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists, proving himself as a dominant force that consistently put pressure on the rim, a secondary ball handler that helped initiate the offense when called upon, and a calming presence that continued to step up in some of the biggest moments.
A microcosm of those things were on display in the decisive Game 5 as Randle paved the way for the Timberwolves in a 121-110 win over the Warriors.
“They were going to make us earn it,” Randle said. “We came out with the right approach.”
It started with Randle as he was clearly on his game from the onset, whether he was bullying his way into the paint, knocking down shots from beyond the arc, or creating for others off the bounce.
“It’s incredible to be his teammate,” Anthony Edwards said. “He brings it every night. He shows us that he wants to win. I’m happy to have him next to me.”
If Edwards is Batman for the Timberwolves, then Randle is Robin, though reducing him to a sidekick might not be accurate.
Not when Randle himself has started to drive winning as an invaluable piece to the puzzle.
The turning point for Randle came midway through this season when he suffered a groin injury that resulted in him missing a month of action.
Not only did that give him a chance take a step back and watch the game from afar to see where exactly he fit in, it also underscored the importance of using his voice and taking on a leadership role that has continued to shine upon his return.
“After I came back, my mindset was, ‘How can I help this team win?’” Randle said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Though his stats were relatively similar before and after the groin injury, Randle looked like a completely different player as he found a way to play in rhythm on offense while also ratcheting up the intensity on defense.
“I was steadfast in my belief that Julius was going to help this team when it mattered most,” Chris Finch said. “I never really doubted that fact. He was exactly the player that could help us in moments like this. We just had to get to moments like this.”
As he reflected on his growth this season, Randle credited Finch with empowering him to tap into his complete skill set.
“He’s done an amazing job of allowing me to use all my tools,” Randle said. “He’s really opened up my game.”
That has gone a long way in the fans hopping on the Julius Randle bandwagon with the Timberwolves headed to the Western Conference Finals.
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