The Minnesota Timberwolves are still struggling to find the consistency that propelled them to the NBA Western Conference Finals last season. Their up-and-down performances this season have been frustrating, and the latest setback—a surprising loss to the 4-12 Toronto Raptors—prompted Julius Randle to issue a strong challenge to his teammates.
Despite strong individual performances, the Timberwolves’ collective play fell short against Toronto. Their on-court disconnect was apparent, highlighted by a late-game sequence where Rudy Gobert had a clear mismatch in the paint and called for the ball. Randle ignored him, leading to a three-second violation—a clear example of the team’s lack of cohesion.
After the game, Randle acknowledged the loss as a low point for the team but expressed confidence in their ability to turn things around. “Yeah, I’d say it’s a low point for us as a team,” Randle told reporters in the locker room. “I know we’ll turn it around. I have faith in everybody in this locker room that we’ll turn it around.”
“But at this point, we gotta look ourselves in the mirror and decide what type of team we wanna be on a consistent basis,” he continued. “We’ve had great games, we’ve had not great games. Myself included. I have to look myself in the mirror and say I gotta be better.”
Julius Randle #30, Anthony Edwards #5 and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrate a basket against the Chicago Bulls during the second half of a preseason game at the United Center. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Randle stresses importance of not underestimating rivals
One recurring issue for the Timberwolves has been losing games against teams they were favored to beat. Their recent defeats to the Raptors (4-12), Trail Blazers (6-9, twice), and a Miami Heat team missing Jimmy Butler are evidence of this troubling trend.
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Randle emphasized the importance of respecting every opponent, regardless of their record. “We can’t look at, ‘Oh, we’re playing the Raptors.’ They’re 3-12 or whatever, and alright we got an easy one and we can go worry about our individual stuff,” Randle stated. “We can’t do that. We gotta be professional and understand that it’s about us as a team, us every night coming out, building the right habits, doing the right things.”
What’s next for the Timberwolves?
The Timberwolves face a significant challenge in their next matchup on Sunday, November 24, when they travel to take on the defending champion Boston Celtics. While a win may be difficult to achieve, the team will soon have a chance to rebound.
Following their game against the Celtics, the Timberwolves will have four straight home games, starting with the Rockets on November 26. They’ll then face the Kings the following day, the Clippers on November 29, and wrap up the stretch against the Lakers on December 2. This homestand will be a critical opportunity for Minnesota to regain their footing.
