Julius Randle played point forward, grabbing rebounds and speed-dribbling up court.
Souhan: Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo show off in first Wolves home opener
Playing fast and passing quickly allowed newcomers Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to shine on Saturday night at Target Center.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 27, 2024 at 4:21AM
Donte DiVincenzo came off the bench oozing energy and launching three-pointers, instantly becoming a crowd favorite.
Joe Ingles came off the bench to throw passes and take charges anywhere between the basket and the arena entrance.
Coming off a season that made Target Center the place to be during a Minnesota winter, the three veteran Timberwolves’ newcomers introduced themselves to their new home arena on Saturday night, in the Wolves’ 112-101 victory over Toronto.
We may not be able to accurately judge the Wolves’ trade of Karl-Anthony Towns for Randle and DiVincenzo until we see the results of the playoffs. In terms of first impressions, the new guys impressed at first.
Randle produced 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists. DiVincenzo produced 16 points, two rebounds and two assists off the bench. Ingles had four assists in six minutes.
After watching the newcomers and listening to Randle and DiVincenzo speak after the game, what struck me was their intelligence. They spoke like coaches who understand the importance of cutting and quick passing.
Randle, in particular, raved about the reception he has received in Minnesota, “even in restaurants.”
“It was amazing,” he said of a pregame ovation he received. “I wasn’t expecting that at all. I don’t know what it is, but since the moment I got traded here, from the organization to the players to the coaches to people you meet at restaurants, everybody here is just so nice.”
The Wolves gave up the most accomplished player in their big offseason trade, in Towns. One of the ways this deal could work out is if DiVincenzo helps replace Towns’ three-point production, and he and Randle help the Wolves play at a faster pace.
Last season, Wolves coach Chris Finch emphasized defense. This year, he wants to see better offensive flow and efficiency.
DiVincenzo is a shooting guard who can play like a point guard. Randle, despite his size, is capable of grabbing a rebound and running the break. Naz Reid, despite his height, is one of the Wolves’ best ballhandlers.
Asked about playing at an increased pace this season before the game, Finch said, “Yeah, we were just actually talking about it in the coaches’ locker room. As we get a little more comfortable and settled in, things become a little more automatic. We struggled to rebound against LA, so you’re not going to really run when you can’t get the ball. We just haven’t forced a lot of turnovers, either. But I think Julius is really going to help us in transition with rebounding and pushing the ball. Naz is a rebound-and-push guy.”
The Wolves’ emphasis on having even some of their biggest players play fast is due in part to their lack of pure point guards in the current rotation.
Mike Conley, their starting point guard, is 37. The most promising backup point guard on the roster is first-round draft pick Rob Dillingham. He might be the Wolves’ quickest player, and should excel in transition, but he has not played yet this season.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker spent the preseason trying to become one of the Wolves’ point guard options. Finch told him to go back to his offensive strength — shooting three-pointers and playing off the team’s stars.
Before the game, Finch gave a remarkably detailed explanation of Alexander-Walker’s approach, saying he is highly intelligent and capable of overthinking.
During the preseason, Alexander-Walker’s assessment that the Wolves might need help at backup point guard led him to try to fill the void, with poor results.
“I said, ‘That’s fine, we appreciate that, but we have a lot of guys who can play point guard right now,’” Finch said. “‘You go back to doing what you do best.’”
Randle will function best in this offense when he cuts and creates for teammates. Standing on the court during a postgame interview, he praised his teammates’ “unselfishness.”
If the Wolves play fast and pass quickly, Randle and DiVincenzo won’t have any trouble fitting in.
The Wolves’ starting lineup on Saturday night had its best stretch of basketball on the young season. Julius Randle had 24 points while Anthony Edwards also had 24 in the victory over Toronto.
