How Can Karl-Anthony Towns Optimize His Game in His Return From Injury?

After missing the last 18 games with a left meniscus tear, Timberwolves star Towns is set to play on Friday night against the Hawks. So how can he optimize his return to the floor?

Karl-Anthony Towns is set to make his return to play for the final two regular season games of what has been a historic and memorable season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Towns was diagnosed with a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee a little over a month ago, on March 7. At the time of the injury, it was announced that the All-Star big man would undergo surgery to repair the tear, and that he would be re-evaluated in four weeks.

NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic tweeted out that KAT is “on track” to make his return on Friday night against the Atlanta Hawks at Target Center, as the Wolves are still vying for a top seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. The Wolves followed Charania’s report by announcing that KAT has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game, the first change in his status since he last competed on March 4 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

KAT missed significant time last year with a Grade 3 calf strain. He eventually returned in the regular season. The opponent that night? The Atlanta Hawks. Towns performed well in that game, scoring 22 points while also hitting the game winning free throws, in what Towns dubbed as a situation that “movies is made of.”

As exciting as it will be to see Towns back on the floor and the Wolves to get a huge offensive piece back for a team, he needs to optimize his game to help this team unlock and reach their highest potential, which is winning a championship.

KAT ranks 10th in the league in 3- point percentage at a blistering 42.3%. When comparing the amount of shots he’s taken from beyond the arc compared to the nine players in front of him in terms of percentage, six of those nine are taking more attempts from 3-point land than he is. Shooting the long ball more often, especially as a floor spacer with the starting five, is going to be the key to the Wolves’ offensive structure and flow and putting the ball in the basket.

Towns has a unique skillset at his size. The versatility in his shot selection can add a real wrinkle to this Timberwolves offense, and that wrinkle can only be fully optimized if he’s willing to take more than the five 3-point attempts per game he is averaging now.

It’s not that the Wolves, or the fans, should be asking for Towns to only lean into the 3-point shot, because he has phenomenal touch around the rim as a low-post player and shoots free throws at a high clip. He should continue to attack when needed in the flow of the offense. The issue with KAT and his drive attempts is that too many times they cause more harm than good. With better spacing in blended lineups, it may make more sense for Towns to save his drives for those lineups instead.

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Towns this season is averaging one foul and one turnover per game on the drive, numbers he has to improve upon if he doesn’t trade drives for more 3-point attempts. On a surface level that seems minimal, but when extrapolating that to percentages, the fouls account for 9.5% of the team’s total turnovers in a game, and the turnovers account for 10.3% of the team’s total turnovers.

Outside of these jarring percentages, KAT’s drives feel pre-determined and he ends up on his back way too much, leading to 5-on-4s the other way. KAT drives with severe tunnel vision far too frequently. The four-time All-Star has a ton of offensive gravity and commands help defense when he puts the ball on the deck. This help defense leaves his teammates in prime position for wide open catch-and-shoot opportunities on the perimeter. The problem is, KAT doesn’t kick out to his teammates on drives as much as he should and it leads to him putting up contested shots, with three-to-four defenders all over him, that fuel the opponent’s transition.

It’s also no secret amongst the Timberwolves faithful that Towns’ at times herky-jerky style results in a tough whistle. With the playoffs looming, the calls will not come any easier, as officials swallow whistles more in the postseason than they do in the regular season. I understand the frustration Towns and the fanbase share surrounding how he is officiated, but the theoretical vs. actual argument is real. In theory, Towns should be getting to the line more often. He does get hacked a ton, and should have the respect that comes with being an All-NBA player, but if it hasn’t happened already, it’s just not coming nine years into his career.

To leave the lanes open for Anthony Edwards and his driving opportunities, along with ample floor spacing for the Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert pick-and-roll tandem, Towns needs to find himself beyond the arc more often, and shoot the ball from out there even more than he has ever in his career.

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KAT’s positioning on the floor will also be largely dependent upon who he is paired with. If he’s going to be spending significant time running with the likes of Gobert and Kyle Anderson, and if Jaden McDaniels continues his recent stretch of lackluster 3-point shooting, Towns driving into the paint is only going to be counter intuitive to this team’s success.

How far the Timberwolves go is dependent upon the return of the greatest shooting big man of all-time, and whether or not he is more willing to lean into that generational talent. He elevates both the floor and the ceiling of this roster with his talent, but his play can be a double-edged sword. Towns unquestionably raises the ceiling of this team with his scoring talent offensively and his size and rebounding defensively. But if he fails to space the floor more effectively and optimize his offense impact, and continues to lean into less efficient offense by driving into crowds and turning the ball over, KAT will contribute significantly to this team’s downfall.

Head Coach Chris Finch said that Towns himself has noticed things he can lean into to be a better player and shared them with the coaching staff, but it will need to be seen to be believed, as old habits die hard.

Another movie could potentially be made, and it has the opportunity to become a very deserving sequel for an individual who has dealt with so much adversity both on and off the basketball court.