Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards exited Minnesota’s home opener just three minutes into the first quarter Sunday at Target Center.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards sits on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Suddenly, Minnesota was without its lead man — the guy responsible for the bulk of the offense over the Wolves’ first two games.
In the immediate aftermath of Edwards’ departure, Minnesota fell slightly flat. The Wolves trailed Indiana at the half. Mind you, the Pacers were without Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, TJ McConnell and Benedict Mathurin. And they lost Obi Toppin in the first half to another injury. The Pacers were wiped off the floor a night earlier in Memphis.
And yet they were going punch for punch with the Wolves.
Thankfully for Minnesota, it had Julius Randle.
The team’s usual No. 2 scoring option put on his Batman cape Sunday to save the Wolves from impending disaster. Indiana didn’t have anyone who could hold up to Randle’s physicality, which allowed the forward to get to his spots every time down the floor.
When that’s the case, Randle is nearly impossible to stop.
He had 31 points and six assists to power Minnesota to a 114-110 victory.
“It was outstanding,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said of the forward’s showing. “Just put the ball in his hands and felt confident he was going to get a clean look. Put a lot of pressure on the middle of their defense. Just kind of was a calm place to go.”
The contest nearly slipped away from Minnesota late, as the Pacers generated one good look after another to stick around and keep the game close. But Minnesota found enough points when it needed it. A Mike Conley-Rudy Gobert pick and roll ended in a Gobert flush. Jaden McDaniels scored at the rim amid a little chaos.
Gobert finished with 14 points and 18 rebounds, while Naz Reid added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
But it was Randle who was most responsible for the victory. Everything Minnesota did seemingly centered on the advantages he created. That will have to be a near nightly occurrence moving forward if Edwards is to miss any time. The Nuggets come to town Monday.
It does feel as though Minnesota is more capable now of flipping the switch to a Randle-centric approach than it was this time last year. The offense looked cohesive and smooth when Randle was directing traffic Sunday.
“That’s just who he is. He believes himself. We believe in him to be the player he is,” Reid said. “That was great for him to carry on as the game went on.”
Randle was in full control, much like he was while powering the Wolves through the first two rounds of the playoffs in the spring.
Randle again cited the month of basketball he missed last season as a time when he was able to see how he could better help the Wolves via attacking with a decisive mindset. He now holds the ball less and attacks more, and Minnesota prospers because of it.
“My reads are really easy, simple. Guys make the game easy for me. I know exactly what I want to do, where I want to get the ball, my options, my reads,” Randle said. “If I get double teamed in the post, I’m a quarterback, knowing my progressions of what’s happening. The chemistry and the rhythm are there, and I feel like it’s just going to get better and better.”
Randle said the ball will “naturally” find him more if Edwards isn’t on the floor, but his mentality won’t change if he elevates in the “priority” of Minnesota’s offense.
“Play the right way and make the right play,” Randle said. “If they’re guarding me straight up, try to score. If they get in the gaps, help or double team, trust my teammates.”
It’s a simple game when you boil it down to that. And the forward made it look relatively easy again on Sunday.
“I’m happy where we’re at now,” he said, “and I feel like it’s going to get a lot better.”
The Wolves have much to still figure out. They’ve been largely unimpressive through three games for a team that was expected to hit the ground running.
But Minnesota is still 2-1 through the struggles.
“It’s not always going to be easy, it’s not always going to be pretty,” Randle said. “But just keep going, keep playing.”
Originally Published: October 26, 2025 at 8:56 PM CDT