Key Highlights
Through six playoff games, Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent beyond the arc (70.1 percent true shooting). He’s being assisted on a career-high 84 percent of his makes, seamlessly taking a backseat to Anthony Edwards. The Minnesota Timberwolves are 6-0 and two wins away from their first Western Conference Finals appearance in 20 years.
Late in the fourth quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Game 4 closeout victory over the Phoenix Suns, the league’s best defense stamped their emphatic sweep with a viral, swarming, 15-second stretch that resulted in a turnover and extinguished Phoenix’s final chance to extend the series. After the takeaway, Anthony Edwards detonated on the rim, Minnesota’s lead grew to four, and the Suns never got within a possession again as their season came to a swift close. That sequence featured many of the familiar faces shepherding the Timberwolves’ premier, sprawling defense: ball pressure from Jaden McDaniels, feisty, yeoman’s post defense from Mike Conley, disciplined, lively rotations from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a don’t-you-dare closeout from Edwards.
Yet early in the scramble, Karl-Anthony Towns found himself veering toward Eric Gordon, who readied himself on the wing for a go-ahead triple. Instead, Towns impeded his airspace, deterred the three, forced a pass, and let the defense settle into its shell. Then, he doubled Kevin Durant and prompted a kickout. Later, he rotated to meet Bradley Beal inside and sparked another pass, which Alexander-Walker snared for the steal. It was the type of mobility, precision and attentiveness that has helped transform Towns into a viable defender, emblematic of his evolution and the defensive juggernaut Minnesota has become to assert itself as a bona fide title contender.
What Has Changed For Karl-Anthony Towns?
Through six playoff games, all of which the Timberwolves have won, Towns is averaging 20.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He’s shooting 58.8 percent on twos and 53.8 percent from deep (70.1 percent true shooting). After years of struggling with fouls, turnovers, scoring efficiency or a mix of the three during the postseason, the four-time All-Star is flourishing in these playoffs (even despite some continued foul trouble). He’s finally found a role best suited for his game to maximize title aspirations, while also gracefully adapting to the changing tides around him.
The skill-set that has conjured matchup nightmare labels — versatile shooting, driving, post scoring — is still evident, it’s merely been repurposed with responsibilities free from the burden of constant, complex decision-making, particularly against pressure and double-teams. Towns is scoring as he always has, but the means to wield all of his tools is simplified. A career-high 84 percent of his field goals are assisted — well above the previous high of 75 percent during the 2017-18 playoffs. His touches per game (46.5) are a career-low and his time of possession (1.7) ties a career-low from his 2015-16 rookie season.
While fouls still ran interference on Towns’ playing time against the Suns, he left an imprint nonetheless and exploited their lack of interior size and bulk, particularly at the 4-spot. Whether it be Durant or Royce O’Neale, he routinely bullied their undersized defenders. He’s done the same when Jamal Murray’s been caught on him in this series.
Video Highlights
Video Highlights
Video Highlights
Video Highlights
Video Highlights
