Karl Anthony-Towns nearly hits triple double on his 500th game

Reports of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ demise after 13 games have been greatly exaggerated.  At one point this season, the Timberwolves had suffered a three-game losing streak, had fallen to a record of just 5-8, and whispers of the Minnesota Timberwolves rumors of blowing it all up and trading All-Star center/power forward Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for pennies on the dollar, but that was then, this is now.

The Timberwolves have climbed back to a 10-8 record, and are riding the crest of a five-game winning streak. This time, the win has come at the expense of the red-hot Indiana Pacers, at Indiana.

Some have scoffed at the Timberwolves’ recent winning streak, pointing to the teams who have been beaten, and then burrowing into the details to fixate on the players who did not suit up for the game. But winning in the NBA is simple. Score more than your opponent. And for the past five contests, that is exactly what the Minnesota Timberwolves have done.

KAT celebrates his 500th NBA game with a near triple-double

The Minnesota Timberwolves may reach a point in time where the team will listen to offers from other NBA teams to trade for power forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns, but it is not this day. Right now, the Timberwolves are more than content to ride Towns at his peak, and that peak was on full display in this one. Coincidentally, this was Karl-Anthony Towns’ 500th game, and he has over 11,000 points and over 5,000 rebounds to show for it.

Towns led the team in scoring with 23 points, hauled in 11 rebounds, dished out eight assists, and even record two steals and two blocks.  He helped the Timberwolves to dominate the board, getting 50 rebounds to the Pacers’ 30. This was Towns’ 500th NBA game played, and the entire team seemed to be in the zone to play their best basketball.

The win not only extended the Timberwolves’ winning streak to five games, but it snapped the Indiana Pacers’ winning streak to five games.

Timberwolves HC Chris Finch commented in the post-game presser that this was the Timberwolves’ best game of the season, and it clearly was. The win propelled the Timberwolves to third place in the very competitive NBA Northwest Division, and to the eighth-placed team in the NBA Western Conference.

The Timberwolves now boast the longest active winning streak in the NBA at five wins. But this team, this roster, is only getting better with each new challenge.

This was a great win by the Timberwolves and could be the type of game that starts a new chapter for the team this season.