On Monday evening, the Minnesota Timberwolves went up 3-1 in their second round series vs the Golden State Warriors with a dominant road win that was not nearly as close as the final score suggested.

Julius Randle left the locker room Saturday night with a basketball tucked under his arm. Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. had grabbed the ball at the end of Game 3 to give Randle as a keepsake for recording his first career playoff triple-double.

He did not capture an NCAA Tournament Championship at the University of Kentucky, but Julius Randle was one of the most talented players and leaders to come from John Calipari’s program at the time.

The Timberwolves now have a 2-1 lead after pulling out a clutch win on the road against the Warriors. Anthony Edwards turned it on in the second half, scoring 28 of his 36 points in the last two frames, while Julius Randle was a steady force throughout the game, racking up 24 points of his own.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Julius Randle reportedly plan to discuss a new contract but only after their championship pursuit in the ongoing NBA playoffs ends.

That’s my guy,’ Randle said, ‘… just his trust and belief in me, the ability to adjust throughout the season.’

Julius Randle may not be a household name in Minnesota just yet, but he’s quickly etching his name into Timberwolves postseason lore — and Steve Kerr is running out of answers.