Randle isn't backing down now.
The Minnesota Timberwolves lost both of their starting guards to injuries in the first half of Saturday night's Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets.
It didn't matter.
Minnesota still pulled away for a 112-96 win at Target Center and now holds a commanding 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference first round.
Donte DiVincenzo went down just 79 seconds into the game with a non-contact right leg injury that was later confirmed as a torn Achilles tendon, ending his season immediately.
Anthony Edwards followed late in the second quarter after his left knee appeared to buckle while he contested a layup.
Randle Kept the Locker Room Together
After the game, Julius Randle spoke about what the team told itself once it became clear both guys were done for the night.
"We know we got more than enough to do what we needed to do," Randle said. "So it was just about us staying poised and going out there still sticking to the game plan and playing for each other."
That's exactly what Minnesota did, and it showed up all over the box score.
Randle himself finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes, staying steady even as the emotional weight of the injuries hit the whole roster.
He averaged 21.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game during the regular season for a Wolves team that finished 49-33 as the sixth seed in the West, and his ability to anchor the lineup Saturday was a big reason Minnesota didn't fold.
Dosunmu Put On a Show
The real story offensively was Ayo Dosunmu, who came off the bench and went completely off.
He dropped 43 points on 13-for-17 shooting, the most points by a reserve in an NBA playoff game since 1976.
Dosunmu was acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline and averaged 14.8 points per game this season, but this was a different level entirely.
"I was heartbroken," Dosunmu said about watching DiVincenzo and Edwards go down. "This game, personally, was for them."
Naz Reid chipped in 17 points off the bench, while Rudy Gobert grabbed 15 rebounds and continued to make life miserable for Nikola Jokic, who shot just 8-for-22.
Can the Wolves Close It Out?
The third-seeded Nuggets finished the regular season 54-28 and came in with the league's top-ranked offense, but Minnesota's defense has suffocated them throughout this series.
Jokic still managed 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Jamal Murray scored 30, but neither could really get Denver over the hump.
Minnesota now heads to Ball Arena for Game 5 on Monday night with a chance to end this thing.
Even without Edwards and DiVincenzo, the Wolves have proven their depth is real and their belief in each other runs deep enough to handle whatever comes next.