Chris Finch kept it real after Minnesota wrapped up their last series. He gave Stephen Curry his flowers — calling it a “tremendous loss for the series,” and admitted things “would’ve been quite different” if the Warriors star suited up. But then, with zero hesitation, he flipped the narrative back to his own squad. “Our guys took care of business,” Finch said. “No need to apologize for it.”
Cold, but fair. And if you’re looking for the biggest reason behind them taking care of business? It was Julius Randle.
Randle closed out the series with a monster Game 5 – 29 points on 13-of-18 shooting, 8 rebounds, 5 assists — all gas, no brakes. He controlled the tempo, dissected the Warriors’ defense, and carried himself like a guy who knew the lights were bright, but still wanted all the smoke. And the numbers backed it — the Wolves shot a ridiculous 62.8% from the field, set a franchise postseason record with 36 assists, and Randle was at the heart of it all.
Julius Randle this postseason —
29 PTS – 8 REB – 5 AST
31 PTS – 5 REB – 3 AST
24 PTS – 10 REB – 12 AST
24 PTS – 7 REB – 11 AST
18 PTS – 3 REB – 6 AST
23 PTS – 5 REB – 4 AST
25 PTS – 7 REB – 3 AST
22 PTS – 5 REB – 4 AST
27 PTS – 4 REB – 6 AST
16 PTS – 5 REB – 5 AST pic.twitter.com/nOUSOeLbYb
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 15, 2025
“He did a great job on LeBron,” Finch said, praising Randle’s physicality and defensive buy-in. And the film backs it. Randle held LeBron James to just 1 point per shot attempt — well below his 1.34 regular-season average. Translation? LeBron wasn’t just limited — he looked non-threatening at times. Randle disrupted his rhythm, took away the driving lanes, and made every shot a chore.
Finch didn’t hold back, “I’ve really been most impressed with his defense… absolutely top drawer.” That’s big praise from a coach who doesn’t throw fluff. And the locker room’s noticed too. Anthony Edwards called it “grown man defense,” while Jaden McDaniels said Randle’s no-excuse mindset has raised the team’s floor.
So yeah, Stephen Curry was missed. But don’t get it twisted — Minnesota’s not just winning because of luck. They’ve got a 6’8” defensive problem teams can’t solve, and he’s wearing No. 30. If you’re planning to challenge the Wolves, you better come ready. Because Randle already is.
Stephen Curry was out, but the Wolves weren’t playing nice
Look, no one’s pretending Stephen Curry missing the series didn’t change the calculus. The Warriors’ talisman pulled a left hamstring in Game 1 and was out through Game 5 — and we’re not talking about some role player here. That’s the Warriors’ top scorer, the engine, the floor-spacer, the walking panic button. Without him? Golden State’s offense flatlined. Fifteen fewer points a night, clunky sets, more turnovers, and zero rhythm. Steph’s gravity was gone, and so was their identity.
Steve Kerr called it “a huge blow,” and Draymond said they missed his leadership. No one’s arguing. But Minnesota? They didn’t flinch — and they definitely didn’t feel sorry.
Chris Finch put it plainly, “A tremendous loss for Golden State, no doubt… I’m sure it would have been quite different had Steph been able to play. But our guys took care of business, and that’s not something that we’ve always done.”
That part matters — the Wolves didn’t just benefit from Steph being out, they handled their job.
Finch even doubled down on that no-apology energy: “We had a bunch of business-like approaches in this series, took advantage of something that happened, and made the best of it. So no need to apologize for it—we just, you know, went out and did it.”
That’s the shift with this Wolves team. They’re not overthinking narratives or giving you soft focus quotes. They showed up, locked in, and stomped through a vulnerable opponent like a real playoff team should.
So yeah — Steph being sidelined stings. But Minnesota didn’t ask for your sympathy. They asked for the ball. And then they made sure Golden State didn’t get it back.
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