MINNEAPOLIS — These NBA playoffs have produced some defining images on the way to the Finals: Tyrese Haliburton cementing himself as a big city villain, Jalen Brunson as a certified crunch-time star, and Jayson Tatum writhing in pain. But perhaps the most refreshing picture is Julius Randle, dipping his shoulder into the chests of LeBron James and Draymond Green, either as a graceful bully or a forceful finesse star.
He’s been the perfect contrast to Anthony Edwards’ shooting star in Minneapolis and, surprisingly, a connector to the rest of the Timberwolves on their run to the Western Conference finals, which the Thunder lead 2-1 entering today’s Game 4.
At his best on the highest stage, Randle looks like he’s relishing these moments. He averaged 27 points, 7.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds in the last four games of the Warriors series, and scored 28 and 24 in Games 1 and 3 of the Western finals on 60-plus percent shooting. The bad games have been almost nonexistent, the forlorn looks and drooped facial expressions have come few and far between. It’s not quite a new and improved Julius Randle, just a smoothed-out version, a freer one that, despite the stakes, isn’t putting the weight of the world on those shoulders.
“The amount of s* Julius takes, it’s hard to even fathom how he deals with it,” Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo told Yahoo Sports. “To see him carry the load night in and night out, everybody knows how much stuff he deals with, everybody knows how much flak he (catches), and he doesn’t let it faze him, he doesn’t let it bother him.”
He’s changing how the NBA world views him, that he couldn’t be a winning player, that he had to be ultra-ball dominant. Game by game, it’s happening.
“I’ve always used that as motivation, proving people wrong and stuff like that,” Randle told Yahoo Sports. “But it became more about proving myself right. That’s been the biggest adjustment and change in my mindset.
“Not that you don’t see it, pay attention to it. But it’s more about me than anyone else. I mean, I think that’s kind of been the maturity of my approach. I feel like the weight of the world’s off my shoulders because I’m just playing, having fun.
“It’s not for anybody else, but for myself and for my teammates and people that pour into me and love me. I’m not out here to prove anybody wrong or change a narrative.”
Green openly stated Randle won the matchup in the Golden State-Minnesota second-round series, which the Timberwolves won in five games. And anybody with working eyes could see how he took the game to James in the first round, wearing him and any other Laker down with his physical play.
“It’s a competitive energy,” Randle said. “Kobe (Bryant) is my favorite player. He’s not my favorite player because I grew up playing like Kobe. Anthony Edwards is Kobe, you know what I’m saying? My whole thing with Kobe was, his mindset was different. He’s trying to break your will. He’s as competitive as anybody I’ve ever seen, playing against, played with.”
Randle could see the effects of his physicality in the first two rounds, so even if the bruising was making him sore, it was doing more damage to them.
“You see it in their eyes. Not specifically those two, but you see it in their eyes,” Randle said. “I had dudes come to me like ‘Ju, please. Not this play. You see dudes is not trying to deal with that. I spend so much damn time in the weight room, I gotta use it. It’s one of the gifts God gave me, my strength and physicality.
“I’m not blessed like Ant with a 50-inch vertical (laughs), so I gotta use what I have.”
He chuckles watching Edwards and his shootaround antics, there’s a genuine lightness to Randle nowadays. He’s able to step outside of his own play and be present in ways he couldn’t allow himself to be before. Cheering on teammates even if he’s not playing well, doing the little things to remain connected to the team.
“I was injured, but it was the first time I was injured (in late January) where I felt like I was still playing,” Randle said. “Because I was so engaged with the group and everybody was so welcoming.
“I didn’t isolate myself. I’m on the bench, cheering guys on, dude comes off the court and I’m giving them advice