'I don't know': Julius Randle sounds lost after OKC shuts him down

What happened to Julius Randle in Games 2 and 4 against the Thunder?

Randle was a rockstar against the Lakers in the first round and he dominated the Warriors in the conference semifinals — so much so that he was clearly Minnesota's MVP of that series. He even started the West finals against OKC with a bang, but his lackluster performances in Games 2 and 4 are impossible to ignore.

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of Randle's downfall, the Thunder deserve a lot of credit. Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso and Chet Holmgren have made life difficult for Randle (and everyone else).

Randle outmuscled everyone the Lakers and Warriors threw at him. But Randle banging into Dort doesn't have the same effect. How many times has Randle tried to back Dort down, only to realize that Dort is an immovable, All-NBA defender? All the while, Caruso, Holmgren, Williams and all of the other handsy OKC defenders swarm Randle like hornets protecting their nest.

Unless Randle is putting on a shot-making clinic, he's been neutralized by OKC. He's averaging nearly 10 points fewer per game against the Thunder than he did against Golden State, and his assist numbers have fallen off a cliff.

• vs. Lakers: 22.6 PPG, 5.2 REB, 4.4 AST, 2.6 TO, 48.1 FG% on 15.8 shots per game
• vs. Warriors: 25.2 PPG, 6.6 REB, 7.4 AST, 3.6 TO, 53.3 FG% on 18 shots per game
• vs. Thunder: 15.8 PPG, 6 REB, 3 AST, 3.5 TO, 45.7 FG% on 11.5 shots per game

Randle played with fire and energy in Games 1 and 3 against the Thunder, but his body language and on-court demeanor sagged in Games 2 and 4. Does Randle's attitude follow the result of his shots? He was a combined 18-of-28 in Games 1 and 3, and a combined 3-of-18 in Games 2 and 4.

"I think it's similar to Game 2. A lot of just sitting around, spectating. I don't know," Randle said when asked why it was hard for him to get into a rhythm in Game 4.

Randle was benched for the fourth quarter in Game 2, and he was again benched for all but the final 14 seconds of the final 8:07 in Game 4. Pressed about his struggles, Randle said he couldn't find a way to get involved in the offense.

"I don't know, to be honest. I think it was just a lot of me spectating. I gotta figure out a way to get myself involved in actions. I think I didn't take my first shot in the second half until 20 seconds (left) in the third quarter. I gotta figure out a way to get myself in position to be more aggressive, rather than just standing, spectating, or trying to crash the glass," Randle said.

There's no question that Minnesota is in the conference finals largely due to Randle's incredible play, but no-showing when it matters most is what Karl-Anthony Towns was dragged over the coals for when he was with the Wolves — and it's becoming an unavoidable truth for Randle as well.

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