Former Minnesota Timberwolves big Karl-Anthony Towns is in the NBA Finals, but it wasn’t long ago when he was fighting off Jimmy Butler’s insults. Butler’s infamously remarked that Towns was “soft as baby s***” during a 2021 game.
More generally, this soft label has been an unfair stereotype attached to Towns' career so far, even after he was traded to the New York Knicks. But he’s making this narrative look more and more foolish, especially after helping New York earn a 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1.
While he didn’t have a monster game offensively with 18 points and 12 rebounds, he was grittier than sandpaper while keeping Victor Wembanyama in check. With strong defense and a controlled mindset, Towns is changing the narrative that Butler helped create and the media ran away with. And he is now one step closer to a championship ring that his former teammate and franchise doesn’t have.
All playoffs long, Towns has been impressive, and he has made this old narrative about his game look ridiculous -- and now he's further cementing this on the biggest stage.
Karl-Anthony Towns is proving that he's anything but soft
Wembanyama had a tough shooting night for the Spurs, going 6-for-21 from the floor and just 2-for-9 on 3-pointers. While the Frenchman was able to grab 12 boards and record three blocks, he also committed six turnovers, which threw a wrench into the Spurs' offense.
Those struggles could be chalked up to an off night as Wembanyama had a similarly bad performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference semi-finals against the Timberwolves, going 5-for-17 from the floor and 0-for-8 on 3-pointers. But it is also a testament to Towns’s effort on the defensive end.
According to NBA.com, Towns held Wembanyama to 2-for-11 shooting as the primary defender on Wednesday night. He also forced a pair of missed 3-point attempts and was credited with forcing five turnovers, making him a key part of the Game 1 win. Shutting down arguably the best player in the league is a remarkable display of toughness from KAT and it makes the "soft" label that once plagued him look silly.
Towns' play shows a side that Wolves fans wanted to see during his tenure in Minnesota. He spent nine years in a Timberwolves uniform, making four All-Star appearances and establishing himself as one of the greatest players in franchise history. But he made it out of the first-round of the playoffs once.
So far, Towns hasn’t had the loose cannon moments that were a detriment to the Wolves’ playoff runs in the past. Towns has absolutely changed the narrative around him and debunked the myth that he is "soft" and isn't a winning player.
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