Julius Randle went into the All-Star break fresh off of a 41 point performance and he doesn't plan on slowing down any time soon.
The Minnesota Timberwolves went into the All-Star break on a high note with a 133-109 win over the Portland Trailblazers on Wednesday for their second-straight win and Julius Randle led the way with 41 points while shooting 14-24 from the field along with seven rebounds and two assists.
Randle had a quiet stretch of games by his standards going into Wendesday's dominant performance and even with the break coming up, he doesn't plan on slowing down.
The Timberwolves have improved to 34-22 with the win and hold onto the fifth-seed in the Western Conference, but as the season approaches the final stretch, Randle and his team know that every game counts and the competition is only going to get tougher.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) in the second half at Target Center. Jesse Johnson-Imagn ImagesWhat's Next for Minnesota
That doesn't mean the Timberwolves are going to back down by any means and Randle personally, the break is only a chance for him to recover before the team kicks it into high gear going down the stretch.
"Full-out sprint. Focus. That started for me before, to be honest," Randle said (via Timberwolves). "Sharpening my game, continuing to get in better shape, continuing to heal my body, take care of my body... Every game is going to mean something."
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) celebrates making a three-point shot against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second half at Target Center. Jesse Johnson-Imagn ImagesThe Timberwolves will need Randle to be at top form for them to continue to compete at this level and if Wednesday's performance was any indication, he more than prepared to meet that challenge.
The pairing of Randle and Anthony Edwards this season has been dominant. Edwards is having the best scoring season of his career and Randle has settled into his new team in his second season in Minnesota.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) celebrates making a shot with guard Anthony Edwards (5) against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second half at Target Center. Jesse Johnson-Imagn ImagesRandle's Contributions
In 56 games this season Randle is averaging 22.3 points, seven rebounds and 5.4 assists per game and his connection with Edwards has led to the Timberwolves being one of the best offensive teams in the league.
The determination that he's showing into the break is a great sign for the Timberwolves. Randle was brought on not only to pair up with Edwards, but to use his close to a decade of his experience to lead the Timberwolves to the next level.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) brings the ball up court against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first quarter at Target Center. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesTo see that kind of fire and accountability from your team leader is exactly the kind of lift the Timberwolves will need to keep competing against some of the best teams in the league in the Western Conference.
Minnesota may be underdogs in the face of teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, but with Randle leading the charge there's no reason that the Timberwolves have as good a chance as any to take the NBA crown at the end of the season.