Karl-Anthony Towns will undergo surgery next week on a torn left lateral meniscus, recovery from which could keep him out of the start of the playoffs.
“An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) taken yesterday on Towns revealed a Left Knee Lateral Meniscus Tear,” the Timberwolves announced Thursday night (as the team, without Towns, was picking up a dramatic win over the Pacers). Towns will undergo surgery early next week on the torn meniscus and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.”
The NBA playoffs begin on April 20th, about six weeks from now. That one-month re-evaluation timeline leaves little window for Towns to fully rehabilitate and retake the court in time for the postseason.
The Timberwolves’ offense will not be the same without Towns, who is averaging 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds a game. More importantly, Towns spaces the floor, shooting 42.3% from 3. Minnesota needs that spacing next to the drives of Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert getting touches in the paint. The Timberwolves’ offense is 6.2 points per 100 possessions better with Towns on the court this season than when he sits.
Minnesota’s league-best defense, however, should be able to hold up (and not just when Anthony Edwards is blocking game-winning layups). Naz Reid is one of the league’s better and more underrated backup centers and will see his role increase. Beyond him, high-level defender Jaden McDaniels can guard up a position plus — as Minnesota did last season when Towns was out, and to great success — Kyle Anderson will get more run.
Minnesota remains in a three-team race, with Oklahoma City and Denver, for the top seed in the West. Winning that race, without Towns, will be a little tougher.
