News: 4 hours agoRandle supplied 27 points (8-15 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-11 FT), nine rebounds, six assists and one steal across 32 minutes during Monday's 125-113 loss to Denver in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Spin: Randle carried a heavy load in the loss, as below-average totals from the rest of the starting five built up an unrecoverable deficit against the Nuggets. Unlike previous games in the series, Minnesota's defense was unable to restrict Nikola Jokic's production to an acceptable level, and the rest of the Nuggets provided balance behind the big man's masterful triple-double. Randle was able to find room on offense and did most of the work inside, while Rudy Gobert was rendered completely ineffective with only three points. The Timberwolves have successfully neutralized the Nuggets in the series, but they will need continued production from Randle and a better defensive effort to close out the series on Thursday.