Julius Randle and the Minnesota Timberwolves commence their Western Conference Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday with Game 1 at Paycom Center. Entering the road matchup, the three-time All-Star appears ready to go as he seeks to build on his dominant second-round showing against the Golden State Warriors.
Randle was a force against the undermanned Warriors, scoring at will inside, knocking down difficult outside shots, and facilitating as his squad cruised to a five-game series victory. He closed out Round 2 with a game-high 29 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two 3-pointers, shooting a blistering 13-for-18 (72.2%) during Wednesday’s Game 5 home victory.
Nearly a week later, Randle and the sixth-seeded Timberwolves (49-33) are set to take on the first-seeded Thunder (68-14), spearheaded by MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC has been a season-long defensive juggernaut, with its NBA-best regular-season defensive rating (106.6) improving to an unmatched 101.6 through 11 postseason contests.
The upstart Thunder are coming off a hard-fought seven-game series win over the Nikola Jokić-led Denver Nuggets, earning their playoff stripes. The franchise now gears up for its first conference finals appearance since 2016, with the Timberwolves looking to improve upon last year’s Round 3 exit. However, this marks Randle’s first time advancing beyond the second round after joining Minnesota via a blockbuster offseason trade.
Julius Randle Not on Minnesota’s Injury Report Ahead of Game 1 Against OKC
Entering Tuesday’s Game 1 clash, Randle isn’t listed on the Timberwolves’ injury report and is expected to suit up for his 11th straight outing this postseason. Minnesota’s injury report is empty, so the 11-year veteran should have his full squad by his side, including superstar wing Anthony Edwards and star center Rudy Gobert.
On the flip side, the only player listed as out for the Thunder is rookie guard Nikola Topić (knee), who has yet to suit up this season. As such, both teams project to have their full rotations available, setting the stage for an exciting series.
How Has Randle Fared in the 2025 NBA Playoffs?
Through 10 playoff outings, Randle is enjoying his most well-rounded, efficient postseason run to date. He is averaging 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.9 3-pointers per game, shooting 50.9%.
Randle’s consistency has quieted concerns about him being a playoff underperformer after his lackluster, sub-40%-shooting runs with the New York Knicks in 2021 and 2023.
Per Timberwolves radio voice Alan Horton, the two-time All-NBA selectee is relishing his fit with his new squad as he reaches new heights.
“Man, I’m having a lot of fun. Conference finals, one out of four teams left,” Randle said. “This is what you dream of as a kid. So, I’m living my dream, and you don’t get these moments often, so you’ve got to cherish them and make the most of them.”
Asked Julius Randle how enjoyable this playoff run has been…
"Man, I'm having a lot of fun. Conference Finals, 1/4 teams left — this is what you dream of as a kid. So, I'm living my dream & you don't get these moments often so you've got to cherish them & make most of them." pic.twitter.com/VHPHfXsXNn
— Alan Horton (@WolvesRadio)
