A hamstring injury to top playmaker Anthony Edwards is prompting Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch to be creative with his play-calling on offense.
For instance, Finch is moving Julius Randle around like a chess piece on the court. Although Randle is built like a power forward, Finch is having him contribute from many vantage points.
The experiment will continue when the Timberwolves tip off against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. It will be the Timberwolves’ second straight game without Edwards, who is expected to miss two weeks because of an injured right hamstring.
“I think it’s a lot of fun to coach (Randle) right now because you can put him actually all over the floor,” Finch said. “We had him handling high in the quad and pick-and-roll, we had him at the post, we had him at the elbow. That’s all good.
“I’ve always felt he’s a really good closer, too, because he can get to his own spot and get off a good look. He can put a lot of pressure on a defense. And from the elbows, you’re only one dribble from that.”
Randle rose to the occasion with 31 points and six assists in a four-point win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, when Edwards played just three minutes, and another 24 points in a 127-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets the next day.
The Lakers will try not to give Randle and the Timberwolves an opportunity to close out their third win of the year. But it will not be an easy matchup for Los Angeles, which also has been bitten by the injury bug in the early part of the season.
Both LeBron James (sciatica) and Luka Doncic (left finger sprain, lower left leg contusion) have been ruled out for Wednesday’s game. Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) and Maxi Kleber (abdominal muscle strain) also will sit out due to injury.
Meanwhile, Jaxson Hayes (left patellar injury) and Marcus Smart (right quadriceps contusion) were upgraded to questionable after sitting out the Lakers’ previous game.
“Hopeful on Jaxson, hopeful on Marcus,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Hopeful, but we’ll see.”
The injuries have allowed Austin Reaves to take on a bigger role within the offense. Reaves scored 51 points against the Sacramento Kings two games ago, and he followed that up with a 41-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers in a 122-108 loss Monday.
Redick said Reaves also has taken on more of a leadership role on the court. He cited an example from the last game in which Reaves chatted with a teammate coming out of a timeout and told him to be ready for a potential lob pass.
“It’s just simple stuff like that but we’ve seen it again and again,” Reaves said. “Whether it’s on defense, offense. He’s been great in huddles. I see it constantly.”
Edwards will remain out for Minnesota, but Jaylen Clark could be back after missing Sunday’s game because of a left calf strain. Clark was upgraded to questionable for Wednesday night.
This is the second time in less than a week that these teams will play each other. In their first matchup Friday night in Los Angeles, the Lakers pulled away for a 128-110 victory. Reaves had 25 points and 11 assists and Rui Hachimura scored 23 points to supplement Doncic’s 49.
