Wolves' Randle on Defending Nikola Jokic: 'Probably Gotta Call God'

Julius Randle is well aware of the difficulty of trying to slow down Nuggets superstar and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who is going on his sixth straight year as arguably the best basketball player on the planet.

Randle wasn't on either of the Wolves teams that played Denver in the postseason in 2023 and '24, but he's faced the Joker dozens of times in the 11 years the two have overlapped in the NBA, including eight times in the two seasons since he joined the Timberwolves. Among those games are a 61-point triple double for Jokic last April and a 56-16-15 game on Christmas night.

Ahead of Minnesota's first-round series against the Nuggets, which begins Saturday in Denver, Randle was asked about what it takes to defend Jokic — and his answer summed it up pretty well.

"It'll take a little bit of everything," he said on Wednesday. "Probably gotta call God and talk to him for a little bit. Ask him for a few favors. It's gonna be a tough matchup. He's an incredible player, does so much on the floor for that team. It's gonna be a battle, but we're prepared, we're ready for it. Step up to the challenge."

Jokic has a real case to win his fourth MVP award this season or at least finish in the top two in voting for a sixth straight year. He averaged his usual 27.7 points per game on elite efficiency and also led the NBA in both rebounds per game (12.9, second-most in his career) and assists per game (10.7, a career best). There is no one else even remotely like him.

The Wolves have a four-time defensive player of the year at center in Rudy Gobert, but Jokic has given Gobert all kinds of trouble over the years. One thing Chris Finch has often done is put Randle (or Karl-Anthony Towns before him) on Jokic, allowing Gobert to roam as a help defender and rim protector off of the ball.

Julius Randle on Nikola Jokic | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Randle, while not known for his defense, has the size and strength to at least bang with Jokic and try to make things somewhat difficult on him, which is all anyone can do.

"He's a tough cover for anybody," Randle said. "There's not really any way to shut him off and stop him. You just gotta try to make him work and make it tough for him and try to wear him down. Use my strengths as an advantage, whether it's my size or my speed or my quickness. Play to my strengths like I would offensively. Knowing that he's gonna make tough shots, he's gonna make incredible plays, but just stay present, stay in the moment."

"He does a really good job of being physical," head coach Chris Finch said of Randle's defense on Jokic. "He's got the quickness and the strength to be able to move his feet, kind of get up under him, challenge his catches, challenge his catches, and just fight him. That's what it comes down to."

Randle figures to see a lot of time on Jokic in this series, but it'll have to be a collective effort from the Wolves' entire team. Gobert will also draw that assignment. So will Naz Reid and Kyle Anderson, at times. You could even see Jaden McDaniels or Anthony Edwards fronting Jokic as the Wolves try to get creative and mix up the looks they throw at him.

If the coaches ask him to do it, Edwards will be ready for the challenge.

"I'm willing to take on whatever role I got to," he said. "If I gotta go guard Jamal (Murray), cool. If I gotta guard Jokic, cool. Whatever it is to win the game."

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