Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns is slated to return to the lineup for Sunday’s regular-season finale this weekend against the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski said that Towns “isn’t planning to play” against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, “but a return on the weekend against Atlanta or Phoenix looms possible.” The latter matchup is more likely.
Per a few NBA betting sites, the Wolves hold sixth-shortest odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t planning to play vs. the Denver Nuggets tonight on ESPN in a showdown for first-place in the West, but a return on the weekend against Atlanta or Phoenix looms possible, sources tell ESPN. He’s been out since March 4 with a meniscus injury.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2024
Towns, 28, was cleared for full-contact, five-on-five basketball activities on Tuesday. The four-time All-Star has been out since March 4 and underwent surgery for a meniscus tear in his left knee four weeks ago.
The Timberwolves visit the Nuggets in a game that could decide the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference on Wednesday, then host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday and the Suns on Sunday.
Minnesota has gone 11-5 since Towns’ injury. Through 60 games (all starts), the 7-footer has averaged 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 50.6% from the field and a career-best 42.3% from 3-point range.
Anthony Edwards scored a career-high 51 points in the Timberwolves’ 130-121 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. It was the Wolves’ eighth 50-point game in franchise history.
Karl-Anthony Towns set a new Minnesota Timberwolves franchise record with a career-high 62 points
Furthermore, in Minnesota’s 128-125 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 22, Towns set a new Timberwolves franchise record in scoring with a career-high 62 points.
Not only did Towns record 44 points in the first half, the most in any first half in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97), but he also became the first center in NBA history to make 10 3-pointers in a game.
The NBA record for points in a first half is shared by David Thompson and George Gervin with 53. Towns, 28, now owns the top-three scoring records in the Wolves’ 35-year history.
KAT has 10 threes so far tonight, the most ever by a center!#NBA | #RaisedByWolves pic.twitter.com/kE2mqfFwaH
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) January 23, 2024
Towns’ previous career best was a Timberwolves-record 60 points, which was set in Minnesota’s 149-139 win over the San Antonio Spurs on March 14, 2022.
Additionally, Towns passed five players on the NBA’s all-time list for most 3-pointers made in a single game by a center — Aron Baynes (9 vs. Trail Blazers on March 6, 2020), Channing Frye (9 vs. Timberwolves on April 11, 2011), Brook Lopez (8 vs. Nuggets on Nov. 11, 2018), Myles Turner (8 vs. Celtics on Feb. 23, 2023), and Mo Bamba (7 vs. 76ers on Jan. 19, 2022).
KAT also became the fifth player in the last 30 years to score at least 60 points in a loss.
The nine-year veteran joined Bradley Beal (60 points vs. 76ers on Jan. 6, 2021), Damian Lillard (60 points vs. Nets on Nov. 8, 2019), Kemba Walker (60 points vs. Sixers on Nov. 17, 2018), Devin Booker (70 points vs. Celtics on March 24, 2017), and Michael Jordan (64 points vs. Magic on Jan. 16, 1993).
When healthy, Karl-Anthony Towns makes the Timberwolves a better playoff contender.
