3 Timberwolves who need to perform this postseason

1. Karl-Anthony Towns

Not to sound like a broken record, but this is Karl-Anthony Towns’ year to prove his doubters wrong with a successful postseason run. It's been well-documented how KAT has seemingly shrunk when the pressure intensifies, so most Wolves fans will likely be on the same page. 

KAT has performed excellently as a member of the Timberwolves and will go down as one of the best players in team history regardless of how the rest of his career plays out. However, Towns is now on the best team he's ever been a part of, and one of the best in franchise history. With that being said, fans will be hoping Towns can shed the ghosts of playoffs past. 

KAT has career playoff averages of 18.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on 47-33-80 shooting splits. Looking at his regular season averages, the big man puts up 23.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on much-improved splits of 52-40-84. Another telling stat is the increase in turnovers from regular to postseason play, as his numbers increase from 2.7 to 3.6 turnovers per game. 

A large amount of those turnovers have come from opposing coaches double-teaming the All-Star, an area where KAT has struggled to make decisions. Although the assist numbers of 2.9 per game this year may not tell you, Towns has been a more-than-willing passer, especially when running a two-man game with Gobert.

Another area Towns has struggled with in the playoffs was his tendency to commit offensive fouls, yet another weakness of his game he’s seemingly focused on cutting down. 

As someone who's witnessed the entirety of his career, this is seemingly the most mature and intelligent KAT has been on the court. With a superstar partner in Edwards, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate patrolling the paint, and several players who understand and play their roles, it will be hard to make excuses for KAT if this team struggles in the playoffs.