Top 5 Timberwolves Games: Best individual performances of 2017-18

Way back on Oct. 22, Andrew Wiggins knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer near halfcourt to defeat the Thunder in Oklahoma City. The Wolves improved to 2-1 on the young season, but then followed that encouraging victory with a pair of horrible losses, at home to Indiana and on the road in Detroit.

The 2-3 Timberwolves returned home to face a Thunder squad who was just 2-2 themselves and trying to find their footing in a world with all three of Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony on the same team.

While Jimmy Butler was ultra-efficient in his return from a two-game absence due to illness (25 points on 7-of-10 shooting with seven assists and five rebounds), but the Wolves were led by Karl-Anthony Towns’ dominance over OKC’s frontcourt.

Towns swatted away four Thunder shots in this game and only committed one turnover while shooting 50 percent from the field en route to 33 points. His 19 rebounds were 11 more than any single player on the Thunder managed to grab, and yours’ truly noted this about KAT’s defense after the game:

"Towns has been much-maligned for his defense of late, and for good reason. He struggled defensively early on this night as well, but stepped up his game in a big way beginning in the third quarter against the Thunder. Whether it was switching onto Carmelo Anthony on the perimeter and holding his own or helping in the paint to the tune of four blocked shots, KAT was huge."

Going up two games to zero in the season series against a team like the Thunder was huge, and the Wolves ended up with a 3-1 edge against OKC. Towns stepped up big and put up enormous numbers in the win.