As Minnesota Timberwolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns limped back to the locker room following their Game 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets, it was a bleak reminder that while he’s played quite well this postseason, he tore his meniscus just two months ago.
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 15, 2024
It wasn’t the first time Towns looked like he was in pain that day, as he reached down to grab his knee after halfheartedly defending a Nikola Jokic basket in the first quarter. That said, though the four-time finished the game with 23 points in 38 minutes, he was only able to pull down six rebounds. Averaging 10.8 rebounds per game for his career, there was a stark contrast between his usual effort on the boards and his play on Tuesday. Even defensively, Towns seemed a bit less active than he otherwise might’ve been.
With that, his status for future games has been put into question.
Karl Anthony-Towns’ Status in Question After Game 5
Even if Towns manages to tolerate the pain for the remainder of the series, would he have enough time to rest before the next round?
There’s reason to believe that he’ll be able to stay on the court until the Timberwolves’ season is over. After all, he returned from his meniscus tear far quicker than expected. However, if he’s playing at 70-80 percent, should Minnesota consider starting Naz Reid at some point in time? With an eye towards the NBA Finals, giving Towns a brief respite from the hardwood could be a calculated move.
These are the types of questions that the Timberwolves are likely asking themselves. As they know more about Towns’ medical status than anyone, perhaps they already have been. Still, though Reid performed admirably when Towns was sidelined, the former first overall pick has played well against Denver.
Town is averaging 19.4 points per game on 51.4 percent shooting from the field and 52.2 percent from 3. He’s struggled at the free-throw line, making just 11 of his 16 attempts. A career 83.9 percent free-throw shooter, his mediocre performance from the charity stripe is has been unusual. Nonetheless, his touch, footwork, feel and physical profile have allowed him to be their second-most impactful offensive option.
At the other end, he’s helped the Timberwolves play staunch defense, particularly early in the series.
Despite Jokic’s heroics, the Nuggets are only averaging 104.6 points per game this series. That’s more than 10 points below their season average (114.9). Buoyed by their 3-point efficiency (42.0 percent), Denver has had just enough firepower to keep Minnesota at bay. However, the impact of Towns’ contests has largely been overshadowed by the matchup between Jokic and Rudy Gobert.
