Timberwolves' Julius Randle at 'honest' loss for words after latest debacle
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The Minnesota Timberwolves, after reaching the Western Conference Finals for just the second time in franchise history, are in a state of disarray, and Julius Randle isn’t quite sure why.
Minnesota dropped to 14-14 on the season with a 117-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks last night, and following the game, Randle was asked what the offense needed to do better. The new addition gave a worrying response.
“To be honest, man, I don’t know,” Randle said, via the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Christopher Hine. “That’s about as honest as an answer I can give you. I can tell you what’s working sometimes. Like when we’re playing with pace, moving, all that stuff. … We just got to do it more consistent than that, but I don’t know, man.”
Julius Randle when asked what the offense needs to do better (1/2): "To be honest, man, I don't know. That's about as honest as an answer I can give you. I can tell you what's working sometimes. Like when we're playing with pace, moving, all that stuff. …
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) December 24, 2024
Timberwolves looking for answers amid rocky 2024-25 NBA season
Some have pointed at Randle as the source of the Timberwolves’ problems considering he was acquired from the New York Knicks, along with Donte DiVincenzo, for longtime Minnesota big man Karl-Anthony Towns. Randle’s production has slipped this season, but much of that seems like it could be logically explained by his role reducing in size in the move from New York to Minneapolis. He is averaging slightly fewer minutes and fewer points, rebounds, and assists in his first season with the Wolves.
Some have elected to blame Anthony Edwards, the team’s best player, for the early-season struggles. Edwards has made a concerted effort to become a perimeter-based scorer this season, which is evident by the numbers; his three-point percentage is way up, to a career-high 41.4%, but his field goal percentage is down to 44.4%. Additionally, he is shooting the lowest percentage on two-point shots of his career (47.3%).
Regardless of whose fault it is for the Timberwolves’ .500 record and 10th-place standing in the Western Conference, the entire team will need to figure out its issues before it’s too late. Only two games separate Minnesota and the 12th-place Sacramento Kings, who, like the 11th-place Phoenix Suns are currently on the outside looking in for the Play-In if the season were to end today.
The schedule does not really lighten up for the Timberwolves coming up either. Minnesota plays Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks tomorrow in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals earlier this year before finishing up a Texas road trip in Houston vs. the Rockets, one of the best teams in the NBA by record this season. Minnesota also has games with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the first-seed Oklahoma City Thunder, and defending NBA champion Boston Celtics coming up in the next 10 days.
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