Timberwolves’ Julius Randle offers bleak response after dominant 2-0 series start by Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter of Thursday’s 118-103 win to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. OKC’s eight-point halftime lead swelled to 22 by the start of the final frame, leaving the Timberwolves in disarray defensively with the series heading back to Minnesota.

Julius Randle was the top scorer in Game 1 with 28 points before struggling from the floor the second time out this series, shooting 2-for-11 and scoring six points.

“It seems typically every time we play them this year, that’s when they turn up their pressure,” Randall said of the third-quarter barrage after the game. “We’ve got to match their aggression.”

Minnesota trailed, 61-57, with 8:24 left in the third quarter before the wheels came off. A 12-2 spurt from the Thunder pushed the lead to double digits and the closest the Timberwolves would get the rest of the way was 10 points.

Randle failed to score in the fourth quarter and played just 10 minutes in the second half as Anthony Edwards handled the heavy lifting, finishing with a team-high 32 points.

“Little things are what they’re doing. They’re being physical. It’s a dogfight. Bad calls, good calls, whatever,” Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley said. “Can we look past that and go get the defensive rebound? Can we do the hustle stuff that they’re doing? We gotta find our way and push our way through that.”

If the Timberwolves fail to keep pace in Saturday’s Game 3, they’ll be on the brink of elimination this postseason despite needing just five games to beat the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors previously. Nothing came easy for Minnesota in the second half as recently-named NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander torched the Timberwolves down the stretch to finish with 38 points.

“It’s a lot of out of rhythm things. I think for the most part, I was probably just standing spectating a little too much,” Randall said. “I’ve got to get myself in the action, on the move.”

The Timberwolves have only lost once at home in the playoffs and are facing what essentially amounts to a must-win this weekend.

“Every minute in a series is a chance to find something,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “So we’re going to go back home. This is a good team at home. So we’re going to go home and fight for Game 3. Heads up, look at the tape and get ready for Game 3.”