Julius Randle is clearly in a bit of a slump right now. Since the start of February, he has averaged 18.4 points on 43.9/21.6/80.6 shooting splits. This is a significant departure from his average of 22.3 points on 49.3/33.5/81.9 shooting splits in the first 50 games of the season. Granted, his 23-point performance in the Minnesota Timberwolves latest win over the Memphis Grizzlies was a positive sign.
Nevertheless, there's no denying that if Randle can't get out of this funk before the playoffs, it's a clear concern for the Wolves, especially given that his declining offensive production is paired with lackluster defense. Hopefully, this recent game against Memphis can help turn things around. If Randle doesn't give the Wolves ample production, though, their ceiling in the playoffs is pretty limited.
Chris Finch and the Timberwolves have trusted Randle to be the team's second option next to Anthony Edwards. Furthermore, with the Wolves' lack of point guard play, Randle isn't just counted on for consistent secondary scoring; his playmaking is a vital part of the offense. This need for extra playmaking has empowered Randle even more in the Timberwolves' offense this season.
When Randle is at his best, this works great, and he looks like the perfect co-star for Edwards. We saw this in the first two rounds of the playoffs last season when Randle dominated. The problem is that Randle is an inconsistent star, and he always has been.
Randle's ability to provide consistent production is a swing factor for the Wolves
In games when Randle is struggling, his normal ability to make difficult shots suddenly looks like he's hijacking the offense, and the turnovers typically start to pile up.
This is especially concerning in the playoffs when teams can zero in on Randle. If his 3-point shooting struggles continue, it's fair to wonder if teams will sag off a Randle on the perimeter while collapsing him when he drives. That could end up being a nightmare for the Wolves.
While he was fantastic in the first two rounds of last year's playoffs, he struggled mightily in the conference finals, averaging 17.4 points and 3.6 turnovers. Randle often tends to let his offensive struggles impact his defensive engagement -- this simply can't happen in the playoffs.
I generally consider myself a Randle optimist, so I'm inclined to believe he can provide the second option-level production Minnesota needs. Regardless, there's no denying that Randle's ability to consistently provide second-option level production over the course of four playoff series is a concerning element of the Timberwolves' title hopes.
It's unreasonable to ask for perfection from Randle or any player, for that matter. Still, if Randle struggles to score, it's fair to ask him to find other ways to impact the game and not let one or two games spiral into a bad stretch.