The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to face off against the Atlanta Hawks for the final time this season. While the Timberwolves are well on their way to the playoffs, as they’re the second seed in the Western Conference, their matchup against the Hawks holds a different meaning. Since the former team currently has a 3-7 W/L record against Trae Young and Co., they will look to utilize their offensive talent to its full potential. One thing that would go a long way in ensuring so would be to have power forward Karl-Anthony Towns back into their fold.
Thanks to an important update from the recently released injury report, Minnesota fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief after over a month. Renowned NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski took to his official X account, after previously dropping an update about the unavailability of Karl-Anthony Towns before the Nuggets clash. He can now confirm that the player is expected to make a return to the main lineup at the Target Center. This update came only a few hours after the Timberwolves recorded a loss against the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets.
Minnesota All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to make his return vs. Atlanta on Friday, sources tell ESPN. Towns was upgraded to questionable for game. https://t.co/Z7Z1DM0JS4
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 11, 2024
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In the aftermath of the game, shooting guard Anthony Edwards was questioned by reporter Dane Morre about what could have been different had Kat been present. Edwards stated that his teammate would have lightened the offensive load by a lot, since “he’s gonna get 25 points every night. Like, easy. He walks in the gym with 25 points.”
“And another big body. Another 7-footer. Another shooter. Just fu***n everything.” Edwards continued. “I mean, he can guard Jokic. He’s our best bet when it comes to guarding Jokic. So yeah, we need him.” The Dominican-American player had been performing exceptionally well during the ongoing regular season, aiding Anthony Edwards in the Timberwolves offense and recording some individual accolades to his name as well.
However, he has been absent from the main lineup since early March after developing a tear in his left meniscus. His 18-game absence was highlighted profoundly every time his team was present on the basketball court. Fortunately, that period now seems to be a thing of the past. And just in time for the playoffs!
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How has Karl-Anthony Towns performed against the Atlanta Hawks?
Despite his team’s unfortunate luck when playing against the Atlanta Hawks, Karl-Anthony Towns has been seen putting in an exceptional effort in each of those games. During his last 10 matchups against them, the player managed to accumulate an average score of 27.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists to his name. His best game against the Hawks was recorded back in March 2018, when he scored a jaw-dropping 56 points in 41 minutes and led his team to a 126-114 win. His last matchup back in October 2023, did not yield such a high result as the power forward only made 16 points.
Along with his scoring prowess, Anthony-Towns also recorded a significant shooting average as well. Throughout the matchups, his field goal percentage stood at 51.6% and his field throws at a high 75.9%. Unlike some of his teammates and rivals, the player maintained a positive three-pointer percentage as well, with the same currently standing at 48.1%.
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Who will you be rooting for during this Timberwolves-Hawks clash? Let us know in the comments down below.READ MORE: Stephen A. Smith Makes Amends to Karl-Anthony Towns’ Father in Minnesota