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As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare for their second consecutive Western Conference Finals appearance, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith issued a pointed challenge to forward Julius Randle ahead of the team’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
During Tuesday morning’s episode of First Take, Smith directly questioned whether Randle’s postseason success this year was sustainable as Minnesota gets set for its 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off on ESPN.
“Julius Randle… is it real what we saw vs. Golden State? Is it real what we saw vs. the Los Angeles Lakers?” Smith said. “Because when he was a New York Knick, as good as he was in the regular season, he was limited as the No.1 option in the postseason for the New York Knicks because the jump shot wasn’t falling and he was taking it far too often – and wasn’t nearly as aggressive getting to the basket.”
Randle, who joined the Timberwolves this season, has played a significant role in their playoff run. With Anthony Edwards firmly established as the team’s No. 1 option, Randle has thrived in a complementary role, contributing on both ends of the court.
“He goes to Minnesota, he’s been doing it all this year. He’s been doing it all these Playoffs, right,” Smith said. “Because obviously, Ant man is the face of the franchise and the No.1 option, but Julius has fed off of that. And I think that has assisted Rudy Gobert looking better.”
Julius Randle’s impact looms large as Timberwolves prepare to face Thunder in West Finals
Smith credited Randle for helping elevate Gobert’s performance in the postseason. The veteran center had previously struggled in playoff settings but has seen a resurgence this year.
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“I will say this… here’s where Rudy Gobert deserves a lot of credit,” Smith continued. “Last year, during the Playoffs he had no business out on the court, they couldn't really play him, Luka [Doncic] was just abusing him, using him as a highlight reel for crying out loud. [Chris] Finch didn’t flinch, he put him back out there this year. And we’ve seen Rudy Gobert in the playoffs stepping away from the basket and defending on the perimeter and still being able to give you 25-30 minutes a game.”
Smith emphasized that Randle’s impact has helped create more balance in Minnesota’s frontcourt.
“I think that’s incredibly important and if that’s something he can do in this series – obviously, that’s gonna bode well for him and I think the reason he’d be able to do it is because Julius Randle is doing what he’s been doing in the first two round this playoffs.”
In closing, Smith made it clear how critical Randle’s consistency will be against the Thunder.
“Julius Randle to me is the key,” he said. “If Julius Randle shows up and plays the way he’s played throughout these playoffs… I believe the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to the Finals.”
Randle is averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. He is shooting 50.9% from the field, 34.5% from beyond the arc, and 88.9% from the free-throw line through 10 games.
