Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Julius Randle Reveals How He Picked Apart Draymond Green, Warriors Defense in Game 3

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated May 11, 2025 1:51 PM ET

Last offseason, when the Knicks and Timberwolves pulled off a blockbuster trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for a package built around Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, it was New York that was widely declared the winner of the deal.

Randle, it appeared, had owrn out his welcome in New York, where Towns was a versatile star just in his prime.

But after Randle pulled apart everything the Warriors threw at him in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals, a 102-97 Timberwolves win that staked them a 2-1 series lead, it's hard not to recognize how far Randle has come in Minnesota's offense. After a rough early start with the Timberwolves, Randle got better all season, and has been at his best in the playoffs.

He notched 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds on Saturday for a triple-double, and is now averaging 22.0 points, 9.7 assists and 6.7 rebounds in the series.

After the game, Randle explained that the Warriors used two defenders, primarily, on him: Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. And he recognized how to take advantage of each.

"I feel like I just got like a lot of different tools, you know what I mean? It's really about using my mind and taking what the defense gives me," Randle said.

"I talk to C-Hines (assistant coach Chris Hines) all the time, and he tells me I can do everything. For me, it's just about taking -- like I said, taking what the defense gives me. If it's a 3, take it, trust my work. But also being able to read what's going on out there. They put Kevon Looney at the 5, so I wanted to get in actions with Mike in the pick-and-roll. Or if they put Draymond on me, being a screener and putting him in actions as well."

Randle taps into his well of experience to read and react.

"It's really just using my mind," he said. "If I get a mismatch, getting to my operating areas and attacking. If they don't double-team me, score. If they double-team me, find my guys."

Given his numbers, and the Timberwolves' lead in the series, that's working out well for Randle thus far. He will test his skills further in Game 4 on Monday in San Francisco.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: