There was a moment in the early going of Game 3 between the Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center that felt harmless at the time. It was one of those plays you might shrug off—just another blip in a rough shooting night. But when you look back, it was a sign of something much bigger.
The Timberwolves started the game ice cold, missing their first 12 shots from the floor. They looked less like a team gunning for a third straight trip to the Western Conference Finals and more like a group of weekend warriors struggling to find the rim at a local gym. Then came the play that foreshadowed the disaster to come: Julius Randle had a clear path to the basket, but instead of attacking, he passed the ball to Rudy Gobert like it was a live grenade, right as the shot clock was winding down.
To say Randle struggled would be an understatement. He was a full-blown disaster in the Timberwolves' 115-108 loss to the Spurs. This wasn't just a bad night—it was the continuation of a troubling trend at the worst possible time. After playing the role of the bully in a Game 1 win, Randle took a noticeable step back in the Game 2 loss, and on Friday, he looked completely lost.
He lacked any confidence when trying to drive into the paint, seemingly intimidated by Victor Wembanyama's massive frame and comically long wingspan. Randle spent most of his time on the court waffling between deferring to teammates and forcing up ugly shots. That's not the recipe for success for a player who thrives on swagger and using his size and strength to overpower defenders.
The result was a stat line that tells the story: 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting from the floor. And it wasn't just the offense that suffered. Randle was a liability on defense, lacking the consistency and intensity needed to help the team string together stops. He also got into foul trouble, forcing head coach Chris Finch to abandon a small-ball lineup that was actually finding some success.
It's a shame that Randle picked this night to be so ineffective, because Anthony Edwards was playing at an MVP level. Edwards shook off a lingering knee injury and dropped 32 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. On most nights, that kind of performance would be enough to secure a win. But not when you're getting next to nothing from your second star.
To be fair, Randle wasn't the only one who struggled offensively. Jaden McDaniels finished with 17 points but needed 22 shots to get there. The difference? McDaniels still made his presence felt on the defensive end, taking on whoever was the primary ball handler and making life difficult for them.
For the Timberwolves, the message is clear: if Randle doesn't find his edge—and fast—this series could slip away. The talent is there, but the confidence and aggression need to return. Otherwise, a 2-1 deficit could become something much worse.