Julius Randle didn’t sugarcoat the Timberwolves’ elimination from the playoffs after Wednesday’s 124-94 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Speaking postgame, the veteran forward acknowledged that Minnesota’s issues started early and were consistent throughout the series.
“Really the same thing about the series—missed shots, some turnovers, just not executing, just mental lapses,” Randle said. “They capitalized on them.”
The Timberwolves fell behind 11-3 in the opening minutes and managed just nine points in the first quarter, allowing Oklahoma City to build an insurmountable lead by halftime.
Randle called the performance “super disappointing,” not just because of the margin of defeat but because he felt the Timberwolves underachieved across the series.
“I feel like we know we’re a better team than what we showed, so a lot of motivation going into the summer for sure,” he said.
Despite leading Minnesota with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, Randle admitted the team failed to give itself a real opportunity to win.
“I don’t think we ever really gave ourselves a shot,” he added. “We played well in spurts, but the spurts that we didn’t play well, we really hurt ourselves.”
The Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 34 points, shot 52.3% from the field and outscored the Timberwolves in every quarter except the third.
Asked about what Minnesota can take away from facing Oklahoma City’s defense, Randle said he already had ideas on how to improve.
“I already got some things in mind, but I’ll take time to just regroup,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to the summer to get to work.”
Randle acknowledged the Thunder’s consistency all season and said their sustained excellence is something Minnesota should try to emulate.
“I think their habits from the beginning of the year to now have carried over, and it’s really become a part of the group and their identity,” he said.
Oklahoma City advances to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012, while Minnesota’s postseason run ends in disappointment despite high expectations.
Randle said the emotional toll of the loss is real.
“Once that buzzer sounds and you’re kind of just able to feel everything from the whole year—it hurts,” he said. “It’s almost like the grieving stage of the season.”
Still, he said the Timberwolves expect to compete at this level again.
“We know they’re young. We’ll have to compete with them for a long time. But I think we’re up for the challenge.”
