In a high-stakes showdown that could determine the Timberwolves’ trajectory in the playoffs, the pressure was palpable on Monday night. The Timberwolves welcomed the Thunder to Target Center for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, hoping to rely on their newly acquired power forward, Julius Randle, to help lift the team alongside rising star Anthony Edwards. The strategy was clear: give Edwards a dynamic shot-creator to ease the burden and spark their championship aspirations.
However, what transpired was far from the offensive fireworks they had envisioned. The Timberwolves fell short, losing a nail-biter 128-126, a game that epitomized the fine margins that define playoff basketball. The Thunder’s dynamic duo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, absolutely lit up the scoreboard, combining for an astounding 74 points. Meanwhile, Edwards and Randle were held to a paltry 21 points collectively—a staggering 53-point gap when the game was ultimately decided by just two points.
If we’re being honest, it was a night to forget for both Randle and Edwards. Edwards, who has dazzled audiences with his scoring prowess all season, struggled to find his rhythm. With only two attempts in the first half, his aggressiveness seemed noticeably absent, and when he finally let it fly from deep, the results were less than reassuring: a dismal 1-for-7 performance from three-point range. This kind of passive play at a critical moment is exactly what fans don’t want to see from their young star.
Randle, for his part, had one of those games that people often want to erase from memory. He managed just a single field goal over the course of the game, a continuation of an alarming trend that has seen him struggle significantly in crucial playoff moments—this being the third out of four games where his impact has been severely muted.
As the Timberwolves regroup and look ahead, they will need to address how to integrate Randle effectively, ensuring he can contribute at a high level when it matters most. With the stakes this high in the playoffs, every shot needs to count, and for the Timberwolves, finding ways to spark a more cohesive offensive strategy could be the key to turning the tide in this series. It’s clear that Edwards and Randle must elevate their play if they hope to keep their championship dreams alive.
