2. Karl-Anthony Towns (2)
Season stats: 35.9 MPG – 20.5 PPG – 11.6 RPG – 1.4 BPG – 52.9% FG – 39.2% 3PT – 83.1% FT
Weekly stats: 38.6 MPG – 20.7 PPG – 11.3 RPG – 2.0 BPG – 63.2% FG – 50% 3PT – 81.8% FT
Karl-Anthony Towns has had a fairly good season, but this power rankings week he pumped the defense and efficiency up to another level as he strives for his first All-Star appearance.
Towns shot a blistering 63.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the 3-point arc, with the long-ball becoming a fearsome staple of KAT’s game.
The 7-footer has been absolutely flaming from 3 lately, splashing home 44.4 percent of his 3.8 long bombs per contest in December, second only to the red-hot Tyus Jones on the Timberwolves roster, per NBA stats.
This week was no different, as he buried 5 of his 10 attempts.
Towns also showed up on defense, recording 6 blocks (2.0 per game), and 5 steals (1.7) and posting a respectable 105.6 Defensive rating, including an ear-perking 94.5 mark against the Phoenix Suns.
The week had a few characteristic moments for the big man too, as he had this to say to Fox Sports North immediately after bullying Nikola Jokic for 25 points and 10 rebounds in the win in Denver:
"“This is personal. They’re in our division and conference, we gotta take it personal and i more took it more personal than just the division and conference. I [have] got a back story,” he exclaimed."
Nobody is quite sure what the said backstory is, but the head of steam he gained in Denver seemed to transfer throughout the week, culminating in the 21-point, 10-rebound, 4-block performance against the Lakers.
Not to mention the baptizing of Corey Brewer.
Okay, let’s look at that one more time from a different angle.
https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/945528569060626432
Barbecue chicken indeed.
The dunk capped off another fantastic week for the third year star, as he has risen as the perfect sidekick to our number one power rankings Wolf.