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Julius Randle played a key role in helping the Minnesota Timberwolves reach the Western Conference Finals, shaking off previous postseason disappointments to become the dependable support Anthony Edwards required. But against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Randle’s impact has largely vanished. Draymond Green offered his take on Chris Finch’s surprising choice to bench Randle in Game 2.
“Coaches do one of two things. You either give confidence or you take confidence away. And I think that's a way that you can get in the head of one of your best players, ” said the Warriors enforcer.
Draymond:
"Coaches do one of two things. You either give confidence or you take confidence away. And I think that's a way that you can get in the head of one of your best players" pic.twitter.com/dEWXSRSUsL
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 24, 2025
Randle picked the worst time to have his first true off night of the playoffs. Without their top players performing at a high level, the Timberwolves stand little chance against the 68-win powerhouse that is the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Timberwolves star forward finished with only six points on 2-for-11 shooting, went 0-for-3 from long range, and gave up four turnovers during Minnesota’s 118-103 defeat to the Thunder in Game 2. The loss sent the Timberwolves back home facing a daunting 0-2 deficit in the series.
Julius Randle entered the series riding high after dominating Draymond Green across five games, a performance so impactful that Green called him one of the two most difficult playoff matchups he’s ever faced—alongside Pascal Siakam when he was with the Raptors.
Julius Randle disappearing against the Thunder
The series began on a high note for Randle, as he knocked down five three-pointers and poured in 20 points in the first half of Game 1. However, things quickly unraveled. He managed only eight points on five shot attempts in the second half of that game and looked completely off rhythm from the opening minutes of Game 2.
Randle’s poor performance led coach Chris Finch to keep him off the court for the entire fourth quarter. DiVincenzo, who scored only eight points and had four turnovers, was also pulled for the last 12 minutes—the Wolves’ best period in the series so far. Minnesota outpaced OKC 32-25 during that stretch, with Finch depending largely on a compact lineup of Edwards, Conley, Alexander-Walker, McDaniels, and Reid.
Thunder forward Jalen Williams dominated Randle, putting up 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and five assists. He perfectly supported newly crowned league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who delivered an outstanding performance with 38 points, eight assists, and three steals.
Without Randle’s steady 24 points per game and his reliable shooting percentages of 55/39/88, going up against a balanced and defensively tough Thunder squad becomes nearly impossible. All season, the Wolves have thrived when challenged and pushed to their limits, needing that extra physical edge to bring out their strongest effort. However, in both games in OKC, the Thunder delivered far more than a mere test.
Randle and the Timberwolves understand their window to reach the NBA Finals is closing. They'll look to keep their championship hopes alive when they host the Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
