Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle dribbles the ball past Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler during Game 2.
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
By Sean Keane
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Last updated May 9, 2025 12:28 AM ET
The relentless NBA playoff schedule tapped the brakes with just one game on Thursday night. The Minnesota Timberwolves started fast, led all the way and evened their second-round series with the Golden State Warriors. Here are three stars from the Wolves’ blowout win.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle | 24 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds
Randle played like the three-time All-Star he is in Game 2, putting up 24 points and facilitating the offense with 11 assists.
Julius Randle shows off the finesse AND power
He’s got 16 PTS in the first half of Game 2 on TNT!
Warriors (1-0) Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/jO9QHwaxsV
— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2025
Randle was the engine behind the Timberwolves’ first-half surge that put the game out out reach for Golden State. In the first 24 minutes, he scored 16 points, grabbed four rebounds and gave out four assists while the Wolves built a 17-point halftime lead. He turned into a distributor in the second half with seven assists, while shooting an efficient 4-of-6 from the floor.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards | 20 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, one scary injury
When Anthony Edwards limped off the floor late in the second quarter after Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on his ankle, the Timberwolves’ playoff future looked dire.
Charles Barkley on Anthony Edwards injuring his ankle then returning to the game
“This was Paul Pierce Like. Only thing he was missing was the wheelchair.”pic.twitter.com/IiAG9CUHMV
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) May 9, 2025
But Edwards returned for the second half looking none the worse for the ankle trauma, scoring 13 points in 19 second-half minutes. After the game, teammate Jaden McDaniels declared Edwards would have to be “damn near dead” to sit out, though he actually shot better after his injury, going 4-of-6 and helping snuff out a Warriors’ comeback.
As long his ankle doesn’t swell up after the game, Edwards looks poised for more playoff excellence. After all, he’s not dead, so he’ll be in the lineup until further notice.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 20 points, 4 3PM
The Timberwolves had the worst two-game stretch of three-point shooting in NBA history between Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers and Game 1 against the Warriors, going 12-of-76 from deep (15.8 percent). Nickeil Alexander-Walker was in a bad stretch of his own, shooting 5-of-25 in his first six playoff games.
That changed Thursday night. Alexander-Walker went 4-of-6 from behind the arc, also attacking the basket against a Warriors defense that shut down Minnesota in Game 1. “NAW” is an excellent perimeter defender, but when he can put up points as well, the Timberwolves are very tough to beat.
— ❤️ (@simplyballup) May 9, 2025
Sean Keane
Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com
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