Timberwolves rumble past Hawks 138-116 as Julius Randle has triple-double

Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Feb 9, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch mentioned before the team’s game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night that he and the coaching staff were taking a positive approach in light of the Wolves’ recent funk. He said they were trying to remind the players of how good of a team they can be.

For a night, at least, the Wolves were able to channel that energy as they took care of a short-handed Hawks team in a 138-116 victory before an announced crowd of 17,243 at Target Center.

It was a needed victory for the Wolves after they dropped three of their last four, the last two in ugly fashion in a come-from-ahead loss to the New Orleans Pelicans and a blowout at the hands of the L.A. Clippers.

The win marked a nice bounce back for the Wolves on offense. They shot 60% from the field and had 36 assists.

Julius Randle was the best version of himself on that end with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Wolves are a different team when Randle is hunting for triple-doubles. Anthony Edwards had 30 points, six assists and six rebounds while new acquisition Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 points off the bench.

The Wolves had seven players in double figures scoring and 25 fast-break points.

Reid ejected

With 11:52 left in the fourth quarter, Wolves center Naz Reid took exception to what appeared to be a shove from Atlanta’s Mouhamed Gueye. Reid confronted Gueye and grabbed ahold of his jersey as the two had to be separated.

They were then ejected. It marked the second consecutive game there was a scrap with Clippers guard Kris Dunn getting ejected in Sunday’s game after getting into it with Randle.

Welcome back, NAW

The Wolves welcomed back former guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker with a highlight video and standing ovation from the crowd during the announcement of the starting lineups. Alexander-Walker has taken advantage of an expanded role this season with the Hawks, who have put him in the starting lineup and given him more shots and ballhandling responsibilities than he had with the Wolves.

Alexander-Walker finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.

Dosunmu has a strong night

The Wolves’ newest acquisition, Dosunmu, whom the team acquired in part because of the role Alexander-Walker vacated, had a big game in the scoring column against Atlanta with 21 points. He added three assists.

Dosunmu was especially good in transition, whether he was attacking the rim or setting up teammates like Jaden McDaniels, who had two big slams off passes from Dosunmu. Dosunmu finished 9 for 13 from the field, and the pace he injected into the offense was apparent.

Shannon on the mend

Terrence Shannon Jr., who has been out since Dec. 25 because of a foot injury, has been cleared for full-contact 5-on-5 basketball activities, the team announced. Shannon was set to begin a rehab assigned with the team’s G League affiliate in Iowa.

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