Wolves Lose Julius Randle, but young guys impress in blowout over jazz
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Wolves Lose Julius Randle, but young guys impress in blowout over jazz

There was good news and bad news for Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday evening.

The bad news were that they Lost Julius Randle to the right groin’s tenderness. The good news was that Minnesota’s young guys gave the team all it needed in a 138-113 outbuilding victory over Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

The winnings are Minnesota’s fourth straight, and second in so many nights playing on the back of the back to the back.

Randle went out during the second quarter of the game after making a layout. He immediately arrested at his inner thigh, subbed off and walked towards the dressing room. The wolves (27-21) exclude him just before half time. Minnesota was also down Mike Conley, Excluded just before tipoff because of a thumb pollution. Nickeil Alexander-Walker started the game.

After losing Randle, Luka Garza got an extended driving for the second night in a row, and he definitely made most of his opportunity with 16 points and three returns in 14 minutes. He was not the only young guy who affected Thursday.

The end of the third quarter exemplified the impact of the team’s youth had Thursday evening. Garza had an impressive sequence with three obsession where he hit a float at the post before drilling a 3-pointer next possession. Back on the defensive end he pulled a loose ball foul on a boxout. Then fresh from a timeout, Rob Dillingham drilled a shot from depth.

Jaylen Clark, who also played significant minutes for the second straight night, pulled an offensive foul on Jordan Clarkson’s next possession. Garza met a float later for a 27-point lead. A couple of possessions after that after a large ball movement from the wolves, Clark drove into the color for a layout to push it back to a 27-point advantage.

It is clear that Clark quickly earns Wolves coach Chris Finch’s confidence with his efforts at the defensive end. It was another impressive night for Clark, who finished with six points, three returns, two assists and two steals. He had a plus-minus on plus-34. Dillingham undoubtedly had his best game in the season with 19 points and eight assists and ended as a plus-21.

Of course, not all young guys. They were the recipients of a fantastic all-round night from Anthony Edwards, who finished with a game high 36 points, 11 assists and six returns. Edwards, who also had three blocks, exploded for 16 points during the third quarter and routinely made the right game throughout the night. Edwards was a plus-25.

Former jazz star Rudy Gobert was a force at both ends and ended with 16 points, nine returns, five assists and four blocks. Alexander-Walker, another former jazz player, met five 3 on the way to 15 points and five assists. Naz Reid, who started the other half instead of Randle, finished with 12 points and four returns and was a game best plus-35.

Keyonte George led the jazz (10-36) with 23 points from the bench.

With the game that was mainly put away at the end of the third quarter, Finch was able to empty its bench with several minutes left in the game. Fans in Utah cheered heavily for another former jazz player, Joe Ingles, to get into the game. The highest noise of the night from Home Crowd Game when Ingles lowered in with about three minutes left.