2 Studs and 1 dud from first Timberwolves preseason game
By Will Eudy
With preseason game number one now completed, the Minnesota Timberwolves are one step closer to beginning the regular season in 2023-24. They will have a second contest against Dallas in Abu Dhabi before returning to the United States for their final three preseason games.
We learned quite a bit about this year’s Timberwolves squad in their first action on the floor outside of intersquad scrimmages. Every player that projects to be in this year’s rotation saw game action, outside of Anthony Edwards who sat out with a sprained ankle.
Minnesota looked focused from the opening tip and took care of a Mavericks team with some new pieces still getting used to playing with each other. There were a few players that stood out with exceptional performances, while others clearly still have some work to do.
Stud: Karl-Anthony Towns
The Timberwolves’ longest-tenured player came out guns blazing on Thursday to set the tone early. His dominant 20-point effort on 50% shooting was a major reason Minnesota controlled the game from the opening tip.
After missing over 50 games last season, this contest was an important one for Karl-Anthony Towns. While it was only a preseason game, it was an opportunity for him to shake off any rust and get into a rhythm early.
Much to the delight of Wolves fans, there did not appear to be any hint of fatigue in Towns’ game. His summer playing for the Dominican Republic at the FIBA World Cup kept him sharp, and he looked like the best version of himself to start out preseason.