When you look at the NBA standings, ask yourself — which teams stand out?
Maybe it’s the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Oklahoma City Thunder, two of the league’s top teams, steamrolling opponents with little resistance. Or perhaps it’s the Phoenix Suns, whose underwhelming trio of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker has left them sitting at the 11th seed, on the outside looking in. Maybe your attention is on the New Orleans Pelicans, a team no analyst could have predicted would endure such a nightmare season, plummeting to the bottom of the league.
While these teams have each given fans a reminder that anything can happen in the NBA, the most striking example of the unexpected is the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With Sunday night’s dominant 128-102 win over the Utah Jazz, Minnesota extended its league-best winning streak to eight games — and it’s all thanks to one man: Julius Randle.
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Minnesota's rise to success has correlated with Randle's return
After the Timberwolves dismantled the roster that took them to the Western Conference Finals, nearly everyone believed trading Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo was a catastrophic mistake. Those concerns seemed justified when Minnesota stumbled to an 8-12 start, with Randle visibly frustrated on the court and struggling to adjust to his new surroundings.
Since then, the Timberwolves have flipped the script. They’ve gone 32-19 and have won 13 straight games with Randle in the lineup. In March alone, he’s averaged 18.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in just 29.9 minutes per game. His standout performances, including a 25-point outing on 75% shooting against the Denver Nuggets, have been the driving force behind Minnesota’s resurgence.
“It’s been kinda easier, ‘cause like we got our whole team back,” Anthony Edwards said postgame when asked about the Timberwolves' turnaround. “Everybody got the same mentality…we’re all locked in right now collectively.”
Edwards is right — Minnesota looks like one of the league’s best teams, and they’re proving it night after night. Over their last 10 games before March 14, they ranked No. 4 in net rating, No. 4 in offensive rating, and No. 10 in defensive rating.
Yet, despite their success, the Timberwolves still sit seventh in the Western Conference, just outside the top six spots that guarantee a playoff berth. Their climb has been stalled by the red-hot Golden State Warriors, who have gone 9-1 since acquiring Jimmy Butler.
Whether Minnesota can maintain this momentum remains to be seen. With just 13 games left in the regular season, the question looms large. But as long as Julius Randle continues to anchor the lineup, the Timberwolves may be closer to a breakthrough than they realize.