Karl-Anthony Towns stepping up as a key for Timberwolves’ title hopes

Highlights

• Towns is the key player for the Timberwolves, offering efficient scoring and versatility.
• Towns must share responsibility with Edwards and step up to elevate the team.
• Brooklyn’s offensive issues persist despite efforts, pointing to a need for strategic changes.

On Saturday Night, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Brooklyn Nets were engaged in a rock fight. It was best represented by their first half, where both teams combined to shoot just 36.4 percent from the field.

On paper, this should have been expected. Both teams sport offensive ratings that are at the bottom half of the league – Minnesota is 17th while Brooklyn is 19th. For Brooklyn, all’s well that ends well. For Minnesota, it was a different story. As a team with heightened expectations after jumping to the top of the Western Conference, they should have been playing better.

The Timberwolves had one bright spot at that point; their polarizing franchise big man, Karl-Anthony Towns. He had 15 points after the first 24 minutes with an efficient 4/8 shooting clip. Minnesota needed each and every one of those points, given that Anthony Edwards struggled, shooting just 2-for-6 from the field after the first half.

Edwards wasn’t the problem, but he was a big piece of the Wolves’ offensive woes. Towns was helping them stay afloat.

Towns’ main asset is his efficiency

Blends scoring volume with selective shot-making

Stay afloat. We hear it all the time in basketball discussions, especially during playoff time. The teams that reach the highest peaks don’t necessarily perform the best in the playoffs; it’s the ones that are capable of staying consistent and having backup plans during bad days that find the most success.

Edwards is Minnesota’s best player, but he isn’t the most efficient cat, with an effective field goal percentage of just 53.5. You need an efficient superstar if you want to be able to stay afloat when the going gets tough.

That title may go to Towns, who may not be the rim-running threat Rudy Gobert is but has a more nuanced offensive game that’s built for the playoffs.

We saw flashes of that versus the Nets. With Edwards struggling, Towns took it upon himself to create scoring opportunities. The unique thing with the Minnesota big man is he’s a three-level scorer who can handle the rock and happens to be one of the best shooting big men of all time. He also has the strength of a traditional big. Nic Claxton couldn’t do anything against him when he’d go downhill.

Towns needs to embrace responsibility

Lack of assertiveness has hurt him in the past

Edwards put the finishing touches in Minnesota’s 101-86 win versus the Nets and emerged as the top scorer, but he wouldn’t have gotten there without Towns. His performance during the first three quarters was that of a 1B rather than a #2.

There’s a big difference; a #2 takes a full step back to the best player, similar to how Jalen Williams is beside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder. A 1B shares responsibilities with a 1A and is capable of picking up the slack when their partner in crime is having a bad night, similar to how Kevin Durant and Devin Booker operate for the Suns.

Towns needs to be a 1B for the Wolves to have a shot at championship contention. Edwards may be the superstar that everyone’s crowned as Minnesota’s king, but for the Wolves to beat the Denver’s, Boston’s, and LA Clippers’ of the world in the playoffs, Towns has to share in that responsibility, just like what he did versus the Nets.

Brooklyn’s woes continue

Inefficiency from their top-2 scorers plagued Brooklyn

The Nets were a +11 on the offensive boards, which led to them having 24 more shot attempts versus the Timberwolves; yet they still lost by 15 points.

It’s not a matter of effort anymore for Brooklyn at this point. There’s a skill issue that needs to be addressed.

Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas, the Nets’ two best options offense, combined for 33 points on 40 shot attempts versus Minnesota. It would be easier to credit their struggles to Minnesota’s exceptional defense, but that would be giving Brooklyn a pass.

It’s clear Bridges and Thomas are playing roles they shouldn’t be in for a team to be in playoff contention. Reps for the two players and development won’t be enough to ease things for Sean Marks.

Firing Jacque Vaughn may be a step to Brooklyn’s rebuild, but it’s just one step to a journey that encompasses a thousand miles. Keeping their struggles on the offensive end in mind is critical to the decision they’re bound to make this upcoming offseason.