Randle does it all as triple-double fuels Wolves in Game 3 - ESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — After Julius Randle's triple-double helped give the Minnesota Timberwolves a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals with a 102-97 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, a Wolves staffer waited by the postgame podium to give something to him: the game ball.

Randle, who finished with 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, became just the second player in Minnesota playoff history to record a triple-double, joining Kevin Garnett. By following up his 24-point, 11-assist performance in Game 2 with a similar output on Saturday, Randle also became the first player in franchise history with multiple 20-point, 10-assist games in a single postseason, according to ESPN Research.

«I feel like I just got a lot of different tools, you know what I mean?» Randle said. «It's really about using my mind and taking what the defense gives me. If they don't double-team me, score. If they double-team me, find my guys.»

Randle's distribution skills were on full display in the fourth quarter, as he collected five of his assists and Minnesota outscored Golden State 33-24.

An 11-year veteran, Randle was particularly effective with his decision-making in crunch time to keep the game out of the Warriors' reach: He found Jaden McDaniels with a swing pass to set up a wing 3-pointer to double the Wolves' lead from three to six with 3:20 remaining; he dumped the ball off to a trailing Rudy Gobert for a dunk plus an and-1 free throw to lift their cushion from four to seven with 2:05 to go; and he passed to Anthony Edwards for a corner 3 with 1:19 left that put Minnesota up seven again and finally deflated the home crowd.

«He was incredible, man. Finding everybody on cuts. Finding the open guy time after time.