Wolves Power Rankings: Top of the Wolves tree gets a shake-up

NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 29: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves warms up before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on November 29, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

3. Karl-Anthony Towns (2)

Season stats: 34.6 MPG – 19.8 PPG – 11.6 RPG – 1.2 BPG – 52.1% FG – 37.5% 3PT – 86.4% FT

Weekly stats: 34.2 MPG – 15.2 PPG – 11.8 RPG – 0.4 BPG – 48.5% FG – 46.7% 3PT – 90% FT

Speaking of season-low ranks, Karl-Anthony Towns is on untouched ground for him in third place after sitting atop the rankings for four straight power rankings weeks before last week.

Towns has clearly had the most trouble gelling with this new starting five, struggling in stretches to find his rhythm and place on the court where he will be the most effective.

KAT is enduring one of those stretches right now.

Along with the sizeable drop-off in points per game and field goal percentage this week, Towns struggled to find his touches on the floor, finishing with just 12.4 Field Goal Attempts per contest. Compare that with 15.8 per game for Wiggins and 17.8 for Jimmy Butler, and you can see the problem.

Butler should be taking the amount he has been, especially with the scoring touch he has exhibited lately, but Wiggins and Towns could do with a switch up – especially with Wiggins’ recent coldness – as Towns is far too talented to be shooting any less than 15 attempts a game.

Although some of the blame for this can and should be placed on coach Tom Thibodeau.

Thibs wants his double-slashing offense so badly. Jimmy attacks, if the defense collapses, he kicks it to Wiggins and he attacks. Basically MVP Rose in stereo. Great, except Wiggins' attack mode is like a 1-in-3 games thing, and Towns gets nothing. So actually not great at all
— Key Sang (@Phantele_) December 5, 2017

The offensive struggles for KAT are rare, but this week was another example of the less-than-impressive defense that Towns has been mired in for his entire career, with his team-leading Defensive Rating of 100.4 being marred by costly defensive lapses like these:

Towns Defensive Rating is proof he is improving, even if lapses like those make it hard to see, and he has shown time and time again that he is a prestigious offensive talent, so there is no need to overreact to Towns’ down week, plus his 46.7 percent mark from 3 on 3 attempts per game give reason to think Towns will get it figured out.

Sooner rather than later.