After facing much scrutiny earlier this week over his recent play, Timberwolves forward <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/julius-randle-68794/">Julius Randle</a> has responded with back-to-back 20/8/8 performances in wins over the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.



Friday night, Randle poured in 27 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in a nail biting 113-112 win over the Houston Rockets. His teammate Anthony Edwards hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 23 seconds left to complete a 16-point comeback in the last half of the fourth quarter. 



Randle, who shot just 39% from the field (22-56) over Minnesota’s four game stretch from Dec. 15-Dec. 22, had found himself a victim on NBA Twitter from Timberwolves fans who are still upset about the <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/karl-anthony-towns-71324/">Karl-Anthony Towns</a> trade in the offseason.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Julius Randle 27 pts 8 rebs 8 asts vs Rockets 24/25 season" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nhync1BuNh0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Due to the 3x NBA All-Star’s play over their last two games however, the Timberwolves are 2-0 and improved to 16-14 overall. Minnesota currently sits at the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.



On the other side of the ball however, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/reed-sheppard-99207/">Reed Sheppard</a> continues to struggle in his rookie season. Sheppard, who was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, failed to score a point in four minutes of action. In 29 games this season, Sheppard is averaging just 3.4 PTS (29th among rookies), 1.2 AST (T-18th among rookies), and 1.3 REB (34th among rookies).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jamal-murray-scores-27-points-in-loss-to-cleveland-cavaliers">Jamal Murray scores 27 points in loss to Cleveland Cavaliers</h2>



The Denver Nuggets were good Friday night, but the Cleveland Cavaliers were even better.



<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jamal-murray-54913/">Jamal Murray</a> (27 points and 11 assists) and Nikola Jokic (27 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists) were not enough to take down the Cavs, who held off the Nuggets 149-135. Denver, who entered the season as one of the favorites to win the Western Conference, is now 16-13 overall and sit at No. 7 in the Western Conference.



Over his last five games, Murray is averaging 23.8 PTS and 7.4 AST. Over that span however, the Nuggets are just 2-3 with wins over the lowly New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jamal Murray 27 pts 3 threes 11 asts vs Cavs 24/25 season" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sjaw_bkGLAM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-bbnba-notes">Other BBNBA Notes:</h2>



<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/karl-anthony-towns-71324/">Karl-Anthony Towns</a> experiment in New York continues to be a resounding success, as KAT scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a dominant 108-85 win over the Orlando Magic Friday night. KAT is currently fifth on BasketballReference.com’s NBA MVP Award Tracker.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.on3.com/db/keldon-johnson-141761/">Keldon Johnson</a> and the San Antonio Spurs took down the Brooklyn Nets 96-87 to improve to 16-15 and get just above the .500 mark. Johnson scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win.</li>



<li>Surprise, surprise, the New Orleans Pelicans lost. Again. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/brandon-boston-jr-12214/">Brandon Boston Jr.</a> contributed seven points on 3-4 shooting off the bench, but New Orleans fell to Memphis 132-124. the Pelicans have now lost 18 of their last 19 games.</li>



<li>Friday night turned into fight night for <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/pj-washington-96732/">PJ Washington</a>, who was ejected with 9:02 remaining in the third quarter following a<a href="https://x.com/sixfivelando/status/1872848652395528657"> scuffle including Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkic and Dallas’ Naji Marshall</a>. Washington scored just seven points in 20 minutes of action.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-12-27-2024-bbnba-statistics">12/27/2024 BBNBA Statistics:</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Player</td><td>Score</td><td>PTS</td><td>FG (3PT)</td><td>REB</td><td>AST</td><td>STL</td><td>BLK</td><td>TO</td><td>+/-</td><td>MIN</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/jamal-murray-54913/'>Jamal Murray</a> (DEN)</td><td>135-149 L vs CLE</td><td>27</td><td>10-20 (3-6)</td><td>3</td><td>11</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>-9</td><td>40</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/julius-randle-68794/'>Julius Randle</a> (MIN)</td><td>113-112 W @ HOU</td><td>27</td><td>10-16 (5-6)</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>+2</td><td>36</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/karl-anthony-towns-71324/'>Karl-Anthony Towns</a> (NYK)</td><td>108-85 W @ ORL</td><td>16</td><td>6-10 (2-4)</td><td>8</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>+17</td><td>33</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/keldon-johnson-141761/'>Keldon Johnson</a> (SA)</td><td>96-87 W @ BKN</td><td>15</td><td>5-11 (1-2)</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>+2</td><td>27</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/brandon-boston-jr-12214/'>Brandon Boston Jr.</a> (NO)</td><td>124-132 L vs MEM</td><td>7</td><td>3-4 (1-1)</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>+13</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://www.on3.com/db/pj-washington-96732/">PJ Washington</a> (DAL)</td><td>98-89 W @ PHX</td><td>7</td><td>2-5 (2-4)</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>+10</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/reed-sheppard-99207/'>Reed Sheppard</a> (HOU)</td><td>112-113 L vs MIN</td><td>0</td><td>0-0 (0-0)</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>-6</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/devin-booker-35923/'>Devin Booker</a> (PHX)</td><td>89-98 L vs DAL</td><td>DNP (Groin)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/robert-dillingham-101009/'>Robert Dillingham</a> (MIN)</td><td>113-112 W @ HOU</td><td>DNP (CD)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/isaiah-jackson-143484/'>Isaiah Jackson</a> (IND)</td><td>105-142 L @ BOS</td><td>DNP (Achilles)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/antonio-reeves-7060/'>Antonio Reeves</a> (NO)</td><td>124-132 L vs MEM</td><td>DNP (CD)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td><a href='https://www.on3.com/db/jacob-toppin-52269/'>Jacob Toppin</a> (NYK)</td><td>108-85 W @ ORL</td><td>DNP (CD)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tonight-in-the-nba">Tonight in the NBA:</h2>



<ul>
<li>3:00 PM (NBA TV): Heat (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/bam-adebayo-9262/">Adebayo</a>, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/tyler-herro-117691/">Herro</a>) @ Hawks</li>



<li>6:00 PM (NBA TV): Thunder (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/shai-gilgeous-alexander-106215/">Gilgeous-Alexander</a>, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/cason-wallace-19164/">Wallace</a>: OUT) @ Hornets (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/nick-richards-92902/">Richards</a>)</li>



<li>7:00 PM: Knicks (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jacob-toppin-52269/">Toppin</a>, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/karl-anthony-towns-71324/">Towns</a>) @ Wizards</li>



<li>8:00 PM: Bucks (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/chris-livingston-22021/">Livingston</a>) @ Bulls</li>



<li>8:30 PM (NBA TV): Suns (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/devin-booker-35923/">Booker</a>: OUT, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/tyty-washington-119094/">Washington Jr.</a>) @ Warriors</li>



<li>9:00 PM: Pistons @ Nuggets (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jamal-murray-54913/">Murray</a>)</li>



<li>9:30 PM: 76ers (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/justin-edwards-69277/">Edwards</a>, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/tyrese-maxey-118651/">Maxey</a>) @ Jazz (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/oscar-tshiebwe-94665/">Tshiebwe</a>: GTD)</li>



<li>10:00 PM: Mavericks (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/pj-washington-96732/">Washington</a>) @ Trail Blazers (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/shaedon-sharpe-106191/">Sharpe</a>)</li>



<li>10:30 PM: Kings (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/deaaron-fox-32741/">Fox</a>, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/trey-lyles-116116/">Lyles</a>, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/malik-monk-81930/">Monk</a>) @ Lakers (<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/anthony-davis-6017/">Davis</a>: GTD, <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jarred-vanderbilt-57052/">Vanderbilt</a>: OUT)</li>
</ul>

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