Former Laker Julius Randle is excelling with the Timberwolves, and he said late Lakers great Kobe Bryant helped shape his mentality.

Even without iconic sharpshooter Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors have managed to put up a heck of a fight against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their second-round playoff battle. But so far, Minnesota has had a somewhat unexpected card up its sleeve that has helped build its 2-1 series lead.

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.

Timberwolves' power forward has finally emerged as a playoff force to complement superstar Anthony Edwards. 'I had a great mentor in Kobe Bryant,' he says.

It was a big victory and came on the back of Julius Randle, who scored 24 points and recorded 11 assists in a dominant showing. Afterwards, he used his moment in the spotlight to praise veteran point guard Mike Conley—and also razz him a little bit,

With Julius Randle performing at a high level for the Timberwolves, Chris Finch speaks on the journey of his season.

While Julius Randle has been battling through the playoffs in his first year as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, his wife has been overcoming some battles of their own. After meeting in 2013, the two have welcomed three children into the world together,