Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns.
Timberwolves power forward Karl-Anthony Towns is gearing up for his return to the court just in time for Minnesota’s playoff run.
The team announced on Tuesday that Towns (knee) has been cleared for full contact and 5-on-5 basketball activities.
Towns tore his left meniscus in early March and had surgery on March 12.
The Timberwolves have held up well during his absence, going 11-5 since March 7. Backup Naz Reid has received 12 starts during the span and has been excellent. The former LSU Tiger has averaged 18.9 points while shooting 44.2% from deep on 7.2 three-point attempts per game.
Forward Anthony Edwards, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, has averaged 25.3 points, which is actually slightly below his season average of 25.9 points per game.
Center Rudy Gobert has held down the paint and is the front-runner to win a fourth Defensive Player of the Year award. (h/t ESPN Bet)
The Timberwolves haven’t necessarily missed Towns during his absence, but there’s little question they need him to go on a deep postseason run.
Minnesota (54-24, first in Western Conference) is tied with the Denver Nuggets for the top seed in the West with four games left on both teams’ regular season schedules.
Prior to his injury, Towns averaged 22.1 points and was shooting a career-high 42.3% from beyond the arc.
Last season, Towns also missed time due to injury but returned for the playoffs. However, he struggled in the first two games of Minnesota’s first-round matchup against the Nuggets and ended the series averaging 18.9 points while only shooting 45.7% from the field, including 25% from deep.
Per Basketball Reference, the Timberwolves have a 61.1% chance of finishing the regular season with the conference’s No. 1 seed. If current standings hold, they could potentially face the Warriors or Lakers in the first round.
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