The Julius Randle Thread

[Klomp]

Watch on YouTube

[El Hespiritu]

Read on Twitter

[minimus]

When Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Julius Randle all played together, the Knicks were unstoppable:

• 11-1 record
• +202 point differential in 12 games
• Average victory margin of 16.8 points

Including this game

Watch on YouTube

[TimberKat]

I am sorry but food isn't a strength of Minnesota. I lived in a few places in the US - East Coast, West Coast, South and Central. Minnesota (mid-west for that matter) may have the worst food at the region level. Everything needs to be wash down with a beer. Do hope he works out here and get us closer to a championship then I will change my handle to Timberbull.

The Minnesota food scene has improved tremendously the past 5 years or so.

Yeah, unsure where TimberKat even ate. The food in Minneapolis is quite good, especially when you go to the actual hubs--Lake Street for Hispanic Food, Brooklyn Park for Pho/Vietnamese and West Suburbs for Indian.

If you're whole food scene is "I live in Woodbury and eat at a Tap Room or a Bar & Grill [or god forbid Acapulco]", then yeah, the food scene sucks. But go down Central Ave in Northeast and there is good food at every block.

So the food topic kinda go back to what Chuck Barkley said in the conference playoffs and please take it with a grain of salt. Incidentally, my go to Italian restaurant is actually in Woodbury. I eat all over the Twin Cities. My go to Chinese food is Tea House near UM, Asian BBQ is Gyu-Kaku near Lyndale, Vietnamese food near Lake street, go to Taco place is La Tapatia in Roseville, pizza is Punch Pizza, Steak house is Ruth's Chris, fine dinning is Myriel in St. Paul and Owanmi in Minneapolis. Kona Grill in Eden Prairie and All Saints and Fhima in Minneapolis is OK.

Several places I really like had all closed down in recent years. Redstone and Baldamar in Roseville is OK but not worth the price. Some highly rated restaurants that I find over rated are: Spoon and Stable (used to be good but not my last two visits), Manny's, Murray's, Petite Leon, Fogo De Chao, and a few others.

I haven't try a Juicy Lucy yet. I love to hear your restaurant ideas. Maybe we should start a where Twolves fans go eat thread. Hopefully it not Target Center. Although, I do like to know what's the best food at a Twolve game.

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[minimus]

Watch on YouTube

I kind of forgot that Julius has been through different situations.

[Klomp]

Watch on YouTube

[Klomp]

I kind of forgot that Julius has been through different situations.

I honestly don't get how Julius has become so misunderstood across the NBA.

[Klomp]

I think Randle is a seamless fit into the offense in two areas:

1. The KAT probing at the top of the key. You know where we've spent years begging KAT to shoot it? You know how he pumps and drives...many times into an offensive foul? That position is one Randle is very comfortable in. I don't think he's as gun shy about shooting it as Towns could be at times.
2. And when he pumps and drives, he not only avoids charges, but he's very good at breaking the paint and kicking it out to open shooters. We can easily space the floor with three to four elite shooters around him. This isn't the Timberwolves of yore with Treveon Graham and Jake Layman in the corners. Connelly has loaded up the roster with elite shooters around guys who can drive and kick.

I think that both of these things are weapons that this offense has been missing. I'm not saying that Towns was a bad player. I am saying that I don't think we've had a fully realized version of Towns or a fully realized version of what Finch wants from his 4s.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

I hope Randle will use it as motivation

[minimus]

While Randle can to be a turnover prone (first video). I think that whole team can be a lot better at moving without the ball and create passing lanes for him. Watch how DDV relocate to get an open 3pt shot.

[DaMplsKid]

The problem I have with Randle's first game as a Timberwolves was his lack of interest on the court. I know it was his first real game in months so I am giving him the benefit of doubt but he had no hustle at all. Got beat bad in the first quarter to so many rebounds and lost on defensive rotation/switches.

On offense I can understand trying to figure things out and that can be frustrating but don't doubt down and play like crap in other areas.

[minimus]

The problem I have with Randle's first game as a Timberwolves was his lack of interest on the court. I know it was his first real game in months so I am giving him the benefit of doubt but he had no hustle at all. Got beat bad in the first quarter to so many rebounds and lost on defensive rotation/switches.

On offense I can understand trying to figure things out and that can be frustrating but don't doubt down and play like crap in other areas.

I don't ask too much, but if Randle AT LEAST boxed out his man, we would have won this game. Same for Edwards, who never boxes out.

[DaMplsKid]

The problem I have with Randle's first game as a Timberwolves was his lack of interest on the court. I know it was his first real game in months so I am giving him the benefit of doubt but he had no hustle at all. Got beat bad in the first quarter to so many rebounds and lost on defensive rotation/switches.

On offense I can understand trying to figure things out and that can be frustrating but don't doubt down and play like crap in other areas.

I don't ask too much, but if Randle AT LEAST boxed out his man, we would have won this game. Same for Edwards, who never boxes out.

Yeah Ant had a lot of laps last night on defense too. I am not sure he he was just believing into his own hype or what. Lucky for us Finch has a game now to use as a WTF are you doing example.

[Klomp]

Randle shot 13-17 (.765) tonight.

He showed us something that was one of the biggest issues I had with Towns over the years. If Towns was on a heater, he would stop shooting. In fact, his highest FGAs in a game shooting .601 or better was just 15. Last year, Randle's lowest FGAs in such a game was 16.

[TheZachAttack]

Randle shot 13-17 (.765) tonight.

He showed us something that was one of the biggest issues I had with Towns over the years. If Towns was on a heater, he would stop shooting. In fact, his highest FGAs in a game shooting .601 or better was just 15. Last year, Randle's lowest FGAs in such a game was 16.

I don't think this is the right framing of that stat. In recent years, when KAT was at his most efficient it was when he was playing from within flow and not when he was creating for himself. When you play from within flow and take only "good" shots that are "open" and "in rhythm"... you aren't going to shoot a lot of field goals. I think the right framing is that KAT wasn't able to create his own shot consistently and efficiently without the stray voltage. KAT didn't seem to be willing or able to consistently impose himself on games. This means a lack of shot attempts (a lack of 3 pt volume) that we all wanted. And it means that if and when defenses take him out of the game he doesn't have a way to really impose himself. Thus, lack of shot attempts.

[Colbinii]

Randle shot 13-17 (.765) tonight.

He showed us something that was one of the biggest issues I had with Towns over the years. If Towns was on a heater, he would stop shooting. In fact, his highest FGAs in a game shooting .601 or better was just 15. Last year, Randle's lowest FGAs in such a game was 16.

I don't think this is the right framing of that stat. In recent years, when KAT was at his most efficient it was when he was playing from within flow and not when he was creating for himself. When you play from within flow and take only "good" shots that are "open" and "in rhythm"... you aren't going to shoot a lot of field goals. I think the right framing is that KAT wasn't able to create his own shot consistently and efficiently without the stray voltage. KAT didn't seem to be willing or able to consistently impose himself on games. This means a lack of shot attempts (a lack of 3 pt volume) that we all wanted. And it means that if and when defenses take him out of the game he doesn't have a way to really impose himself. Thus, lack of shot attempts.

Towns did this earlier in his career. I think the problem he struggled with next to ANT is he wasn't able to consistent put his impact on the game on a possession by possession basis.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

Playing fast must top priority when small ball lineup is on the floor. Hopefully they will learn how to push the pace and still play within the flow.

[Klomp]

Slight difference from what we saw from KAT over the years.

Read on Twitter

[Colbinii]

I think Randle has his best year to date.

1) Well Rested

He didn't play organized basketball from January 2024 - October 2024. His body is going to be in the best condition and most rested it has been since he entered the NBA.

2) Finch

Finch knows and understands how to utilize Julius Randle. He did it in New Orleans and both he and Randle are clearly on the same page.

3) More Finch

Finch puts Randle in positions where he can get to what he is best at and what he wants to do right away. Randle either wants the ball on the block against smaller guys [See Demar DeRozan] or face-up against anyone who lack's Randle's burst and foot speed. If neither of these options are available, Randle quickly moves off the ball and re-located on the court where he has an advantage.

4) Unlimited Spacing

We have Steph Curry at home in Anthony Edwards. DDV and Conley will start hitting shots. Yada yada yada.

Focusing back onto ANT--his quote about playing around Randle makes a lot of sense. Randle is really freaking good in certain sets but also be erratic and inconsistent in his less desirable sets. The team is going to be at it's best when Randle is getting to his spots because, as we saw against Sacramento, Randle can eviscerate a defense and be the main playmaker and orchestrate an offense in stretches during a game.