It looked touch-and-go for the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Golden State Warriors in Game 2. They got all that they wanted — a big road win, a split in Golden State, and a sigh of relief when Anthony Edwards shook off an ankle scare and got back on the floor. But in the playoffs, things change fast. With the series tied 1-1 against the Warriors, the last thing Minnesota needs is to lose one of their stars to injury. They’ve seen how easily that can flip a series.
“This is not the team to be overconfident against,” Randle has cleared his stance already. “They’re a championship team. They have championship DNA.” But do these claims hold against the looming suspense of their injury report? After all, the series is tied, and one slight mistake might end up giving the Warriors the edge. With Stephen Curry out owing to a hamstring strain from Game 1, the odds might be in their favor. So, let’s find out the state of the Timberwolves’ roster ahead of Game 3.
Minnesota Timberwolves Injury Report – Are Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert playing tonight?
Both Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle have played really well for the Wolves in this postseason. They both turned up in the Lakers series to send LeBron and Luka home in 5 games. Gobert in Game 5 especially turned into a different beast, grabbing a mind-boggling 24 rebounds. And Randle showed up to help the Wolves tie up the Dubs series in their last game with 11 dimes and 24 points, shooting at almost a 60% clip.
Given all this, T-Wolves fans, you’ll be glad to learn that there are no reports of these two being injured. Nor are they present on the injury report turned in by Minnesota ahead of Game 3. So, both Randle and Gobert are AVAILABLE heading into Game 3 against the Dubs. But not all players on the T-Wolves roster were as lucky.
Rob Dillingham is the first and only player on the T-Wolves’ injury report. The 17-year-experienced NBA player is listed as QUESTIONABLE on the Wolves’ injury report with a sprained right ankle. He’s been listed as such for the entire postseason. And he hasn’t made an appearance in a single Playoff game for the T-Wolves yet. So it’s reasonable to assume that he won’t show up in Game 3 either.
Changing gears for a bit, the Golden State Warriors also have a couple of injuries. Most worryingly for them, Stephen Curry is OUT after straining his hamstring 13 minutes into Game 1. He’ll remain on the sidelines for this game at the very least. Gary Payton II also finds himself on the Dubs’ injury report as well. But he’s AVAILABLE and will play with a thumb splint on his left hand.
With the injuries to both sides out of the way, let’s see what lineup HC Chris Finch may use for Game 3.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors – predicted starting lineup and depth chart
With the likes of Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert all healthy, naming a squad won’t be problematic for Chris Finch. After all, the only injured player, Rob Dillingham, has featured on the injury report for the entire postseason. So, here are the players that Finch will probably pick for Game 3 against the Dubs.
POSITION
STARTER
2nd UNIT
3rd UNIT
PG
Mike Conley
Donte DiVincenzo
Anthony Edwards
SG
Anthony Edwards
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Donte DiVincenzo
SF
Jaden McDaniels
Terrence Shannon Jr
Jaylen Clark
PF
Julius Randle
Naz Reid
Jaden McDaniels
C
Rudy Gobert
Naz Reid
Luka Garza
This squad looks primed to make a deep run in this year’s playoffs. Moreover, with a win over the Dubs in their last game, they’ll be itching to get the edge over them in the series after Game 3. And the fact that Stephen Curry is out right now will only spur them on even more. After all, despite how well they did in Game 1, the Dubs are a totally different team without him around.
They don’t have as much of a threat offensively. And their movement, both with and without the ball, is a shadow of what it is with Curry. So, can the Wolves capitalize on the Dubs’ ill fortune? Or can Jimmy Butler carry another team to the NBA Finals by staving off the hungry Wolves?
The post Are Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert Playing Tonight? Exploring Warriors vs Timberwolves Injury Report for Stars’ Status Ahead Of Game 3 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
