Minnesota Timberwolves were 44-19 when Karl-Anthony Towns went down with a torn meniscus in his left knee four weeks ago. The Wolves have gone 11-5 since then and remain embroiled in a highly contested battle for the top seed in the West. They are tied with the Denver Nuggets on top of the Western Conference and play against them tonight in Denver. This game likely decides who has home court throughout the Western Conference. Towns have been cleared for full-contact activity but will not play tonight. He does have a chance to play this weekend, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
How Does Towns’ Return Help The Wolves On The Court
When Karl-Anthony Towns returns, the Minnesota Timberwolves players can return to their respective roles. When one of your best players goes down, it’s the next-man-up mentality. Mike Conley and Naz Reid have had to do more offensively. Anthony Edwards scored 51 points on the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, overcoming a 21-point deficit. Naz Reid will go back to his sixth-man role, giving the Timberwolves a deep bench. Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kyle Anderson, and Jordan McLaughlin can keep the starters fresh.
The Minnesota Timberwolves offense has adjusted in his absence. They’ve been taking more threes. They’ve had to spread the floor with shooters to give Anthony Edwards avenues to the basket. This change has allowed an increased three-point output to compensate for some production differences. Towns’ return should increase the balance of the Wolves’ offense, allowing them to work inside and outside.
Minnesota Timberwolves Chances In The Postseason
I love the Minnesota Timberwolves’ chances in the playoffs fully healthy. A more balanced offensive attack will keep teams from focusing solely on stopping Anthony Edwards. A lineup that includes Karl Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards could lead to mismatches they can exploit. Towns’ presence also can lead to more open-shot opportunities for players such as Naz Reid, Mike Conley, and Jaden McDaniels.
I’d be hard-pressed to find a team that can beat the Minnesota Timberwolves four out of seven times, except for the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets would beat them because they’ve been to the mountaintop already. They would match up well against the Wolves. Nikola Jokic dominates Rudy Gobert every time out. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could give Anthony Edwards trouble. Aaron Gordon has the defensive flexibility to defend Karl Anthony Towns on the perimeter. I believe Michael Porter Jr can win his matchup against Jaden McDaniels. If this is our Western Conference Finals matchup, I wouldn’t be mad at it.
Also Read: Karl Anthony Towns Out Indefinitely With Knee Injury
About The Author:
Joseph Laguerre is a hardcore, born-and-raised New York sports fan. He is a Giants, Rangers, Yankees, and long-suffering Knicks supporter. You can find him on X @JavaJoeSports. His writing portfolio is also on his Wix site.
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