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    Wolves' woeful mark can't overshadow KAT becoming a well-rounded superstar

    Karl-Anthony Towns is better than you think
    Mar 28, 2021
    PHOTO: AP

    LOS ANGELES -- Through the first month and a half of the 2019-2020 NBA season, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns looked as though he finally became the superstar we always assumed he would be.

    Four years after being drafted as the No. 1 overall pick, Towns' dominant start to this year provided a beacon of hope for the Minneapolis-based franchise that had little of it over the previous decade.

    Not only did the Timberwolves jump out to an early 10-8 record on the season, but the team looked to be an early contender for a playoff spot as KAT established himself in the MVP conversation by averaging 26 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists per.

    Excelling in the dynamic five-out offense implemented by then head coach Ryan Saunders, KAT was at times both deadly and selective, shooting over 50% from the field and an astonishing 44% from behind the arc.

    Though his defensive effort was far from great--with the Wolves allowing over six points more per 100 possessions when Towns was on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass, the center's offensive prowess was so overwhelming that Minnesota still came out comfortably ahead in the scoring margin.

    Not only did Towns rank in the 91st percentile of all offensive players, per tracking data from Synergy Sports, but he served as the engine of a scoring machine that bulldozed its way to victory.

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    For nearly 20 games, it appeared as though things were finally on track in Minneapolis. Almost 15 months later, that track is buried under a trainwreck.

    Since the team's victory over San Antonio in late 2019 elevated them to two games above .500, the Timberwolves and Towns have endured a disastrous bout of losing and personal tragedy that has come to engulf the entire organization.

    Not only did they promptly embark on an 11-game losing streak following their win against the Spurs, the Wolves but finished the season on a 9-37 spiral that soiled much of the goodwill built up earlier in the year.

    To make matters worse, the team has been less effective this season despite multiple offseason acquisitions. Not only is the team currently operating in last place in the Western Conference, but they have dropped their record over the previous year and a half to a paltry 19-71, ultimately setting the stage for the unceremonious firing of head coach Ryan Saunders last month.

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    Even more concerning is the degree to which Towns' life has turned upside down off the court.

    After dealing with an array of injuries that limited him to a mere 35 games, Towns lost his mother and six family members to the Coronavirus pandemic. With the center eventually contracting the virus himself, Towns has been open about how these tragedies have sapped him of the joy that once accompanied being a basketball player.

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      In the aftermath of such a terrible turn of events and the organization's inability to build a winning team, much of the chatter around the league has focused on the possibility that the Wolves could eventually trade Towns.

      But there is hesitation on the part of Minnesota because KAT's game has never been better.

      While the center still retains an impressive stat line and efficiency numbers-- 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists on 49/39/ 86 shooting splits--the manner in which he's earned his production has changed.

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      Always a threat in the post, KAT has increased the time he spends in the lane, utilizing his prodigious upper body strength to gain positioning against weaker defenders before unleashing a gorgeous hook shot that's quickly become his go-to weapon down low.

      Even more impressive, though, has been his counter to defenses packing the paint against him.

      By receiving the ball above the arc, Towns forces his man to abandon the lane to contest a potential three-point shot that the center regularly knocks down. While KAT can shoot with the best of them, the big man is undeniably at his best when pivoting towards a pump-fake to draw the defender off his feet and attack off the dribble into the mid-range.

      Once there, Towns has a buffet of options to put points up on the board, whether it's continuing his attack towards the rim against the weakside help or providing a dish out to the perimeter to a waiting teammate. In looking to harness Towns' unique skillset, the Wolves have attacked with their center in isolation sets on nearly 11% of their plays this season, according to Synergy, an incredible number for a big man.

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      While most NBA squads work outside-in with their guards initiating their attack or inside-out with their bigs, Minnesota has found the rare center who can cook above the arc as well as he can below it. A unicorn, if there ever was one.

      Yet, it has been his improvement on defense that might be most noticeable.

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      Long a below-average defender, Towns' inability to guard opposing players has chiefly resulted from a lack of awareness and instincts rather than that of effort. While he is certainly not above falling asleep on the wheel--as he did against the Lakers early last week, getting shoved aside by the smaller Montrez Harrell when fighting for a rebound--Towns displays the kind of tenacity most winning players operate with.

      The goal of the coaching staff is to place that intensity in situations where it can be helpful.

      Previously, the Wolves would generally employ KAT in a "drop" defense against coming pick-and-rolls, instructing the center to hang back towards the lane in an attempt to deter the ball handler on their way to the rim. While this type of scheme allows the attacking guard an open shot in the mid-range, the Timberwolves believed it would be a positive trade-off in the long-term as any dunks and layups would be denied by Town's shot-blocking presence.

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      The problem is that such a defense requires a defender to be aware of his positioning in such a wide expanse of space, as shading too far in one direction can mean a ballhandler can go the opposite way before you have time to recover. As the Wolves would discover, Towns simply didn't possess that type of awareness.

      Rather than sticking with a strategy that had clearly failed to work, interim head coach Chris Finch has opted to bring Towns higher up towards the action. Instead of passively waiting for a ballhandler to come to him for a blocked shot, KAT is now responsible for switching onto speedier guards and relying on his sheer athleticism and quick feet to snuff out the action before it can begin.

      Even if he isn't Draymond Green on defense, Towns has made genuine strides towards being passable on "D", allowing less than a point per possession on pick and rolls in which he ends up as the primary defender, and ranking the top half of all defenders, per Synergy. While not as eye-opening as his numbers on offense, Towns' plus-.4 on defense would be the first time in his career he is not a net negative on that side of the court, according to Cleaning the Glass.

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        Though it may appear minuscule, even average defense makes his astonishing plus-10 on offense that much more effective.

        All told, Towns has turned himself into the type of franchise cornerstone. He has improved every season he's been in the league and shown a willingness to adjust to succeed where he once failed. He may no longer be gaining the same headlines he once did 15 months ago, the lack of exposure does not overshadow his marked improvement.

        Despite his best efforts, the Timberwolves are worst team in the NBA at 11-34,

        And that, clearly, is another tragedy.
        ___

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        PHOTO: AP
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