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Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns continues on the path to being an NBA great. 

Last season, at age 22, Towns led the league in double-doubles while making his first All-Star team and All-NBA Third Team. Towns averaged 21.3 points (20th in NBA), 12.3 rebounds (fourth) and 2.4 assists per game last season, shooting a career-high 54.5 percent from the field (12th), 42.1 percent from the 3-point line (14th) and 85.8 percent from the free-throw line. 

When you add all of those together collectively, those numbers are insane. A big man who can score, rebound and shoot efficiently from pretty much anywhere. Centers from the 1980s are scratching their heads.

When it comes to win shares, Towns ranked second in the league to only James Harden, who won the league’s MVP. Behind Towns on the list was LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant.

Towns is what makes Minnesota’s offense go, and the hope is that he’ll get more shot attempts (just 14.3 last season last season) in 2018-19 given how efficient he was last season. While Jimmy Butler is what makes Minnesota’s defense go, Towns is what makes the Timberwolves offense so great. Led by Towns, this unit ranked fourth in offensive rating last season.

Throughout his three-year career, Towns has averaged 21.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 blocks while shooting 54.3 percent from the field, 38.7 percent from the 3-point line and 83.6 percent from the free-throw line.  

For a player his age to already have such an impact on the court is an extremely rare thing in NBA history. 

Per Basketball Reference, Towns’ first three years of his career compare to Bill Russell, Yao Ming, Shaquille O’Neal, Dave Cowens and Hakeem Olajuwan, all Hall of Famers. Others include Dan Issel, Ed Macauley, Ed Sadowski, Wes Unseld and Walt Bellamy. Only Sadowski (who played from 1946-1950) isn’t part of the Hall of that group.

Of course, for Towns to enter MVP conversations in the league and not just his team, he’ll need to improve on defense, something that he’s challenged himself on and told the media to “quote him” on that. 

The Timberwolves gave him a contract extension prior to the season, which came as a surprise to absolutely nobody.  

For the Timberwolves and their fans to have a player of his caliber locked up for another five years is special and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Stars like Towns don’t come around very often. 

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Preseason Predictions | Karl-Anthony Towns Will Enter MVP Conversations

On Tuesday, the Wolves had a short practice focused on solidifying some things on offense, getting some shots up and preparing for their season opener in San Antonio. After a week of tough practices, this one was a bit lighter in order to keep the team fresh for Wednesday’s game.

While the team tends to practice at a high speed, players and coaches understand that there’s really no substitute for in-game action. It’s one thing to play against your teammates and another to face a real opponent.

“We’ve had a couple days where we’ve done quite a bit of scrimmaging, but practice is a lot different than a game, there’s a different intensity level to it,” said coach Tom Thibodeau. “Of course [Jimmy Butler] is game planned for, Karl’s game planned for, Wiggs is game planned for, so that makes it different also.”

The Wolves didn’t play particularly well in the preseason, but they aren’t too concerned about it. Anthony Tolliver admitted that the team should have been more focused in the preseason, but said the important thing about preseason games is not the result but rather what you take out of it. He’s confident that there will be a better product on the floor than there was during preseason.

“We never quite got everybody on the same page. And in this league, even in the preseason, if you don’t have everyone on the same page you’re going to get beat,” said Tolliver. “I think everybody’s minds have adjusted and bodies have adjusted. Going into tomorrow I feel good.”

Having Butler back will help as well. Despite the events of the last few weeks, both Tolliver and Thibodeau said that they have no doubt that Butler will give the team everything he has every night.

“It’s not in his DNA to slack,” said Tolliver. “He only knows one way, so no matter what’s going on off the court, whatever, once we get between those lines and he has our jersey on he’s going to play and everything’s going to be about winning.”

That’s the focus now—winning. Preseason is over, training camp is over, and after months of talk, it’s finally time to play the season. Every single team is 0-0 and the Wolves are confident in their ability to hang with every team every night. We’ll see you on Wednesday for the season opener. 

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Training Camp Report | Getting Everyone On The Same Page

Andrew Wiggins may not have had the best season last year, but now it seems like the collective expectations for the young forward have dipped so low that Wiggins has real potential to be the Wolves’ sleeper for 2018. 

Everywhere you look there is someone saying something negative about Wiggins. However, scoring at the level that he does at just 23 years old is fairly unprecedented. In 2016-17, Wiggins averaged 23.6 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting. There’s no reason to think he can’t get back closer to those numbers this year. 

Wiggins is the first to admit that last season wasn’t his best, but it’s also easy to see why. Nobody was impacted by the arrival of Jimmy Butler to Minnesota more than Wiggins. He went from one of the two top scoring options on the team, to unsure what exactly his role was offensively.

The key for Wiggins to realize his sleeper potential and prove his doubters wrong is his intensity. Wiggins is an absolutely elite finisher around the rim, but not enough of his attempts come from close in. Using his length and speed to spend more time slashing to the rim and finishing lobs would be huge, as would utilizing his developing three-point shot to fake defenders into the air before driving around them. That would also help Wiggins get to the line more, where he shot poorly last year but has historically been very good. 

On the topic of three-pointers, Wiggins attempted a career-high 4.1 shots per game from beyond the arc in 2017-18. He made 1.4 per game for a percentage of 33.1. The previous year, Wiggins averaged 1.3 threes per game on 3.5 attempts. The idea that Wiggins has been consistently regressing is often tossed around but has very little basis in fact. Last year was the first year since he entered the league that he did not improve in almost every statistical category. 

Wiggins is also extremely durable—he has missed just one game in his four-year career and has never dealt with a serious injury. For the last few years Wiggins has struggled under the shadow of expectation, but now that it seems like everyone is expecting him to fail, don’t be surprised if Wiggins steps up for a career year.

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Preseason Predictions | Andrew Wiggins Will Bounce Back

The Wolves took the court Monday for their second to last day of practice before they open the season in San Antonio on Wednesday night. While the results in the preseason haven’t been great, players and coaches feel like they’re in decent shape.

“We got a lot of work to do, but I would feel like that in any circumstance,” said coach Tom Thibodeau. “That’s what the season is all about too. You don’t have everything figured out in a day or a week or three weeks. You can be playing well and all of a sudden you go into a tailspin. Usually that occurs when you start to relax or take shortcuts, so we know we have a lot of work to do.”

For Karl-Anthony Towns, the key for Minnesota is translating the energy and intensity the team has in practice into games. The Wolves run practices at game speed and compete very hard in camp so physically the players are ready to go but the focus and commitment to every single possession needs to be there in game situations. For his part, Towns is certain the team can pull things together.

“We come in here and have great practices. We always have great practices and the competition is high and the intensity is high, it’s just about doing that now in a game and sustaining it for 48 minutes,” he said. “So do I feel confident? Absolutely. I feel confident in the guys we have in the locker room, I feel confident in the competition that’s here in practice, I feel confident in everyone’s talents. So I feel very confident going in, we just got to do what we need to do.”

Veteran Derrick Rose has been through his fair share of training camps and said that he doesn’t put much stock in preseason record. He said he’s been a part of teams that won all their preseason games that had bad season and vice versa.

“It’s all about what you take out of it,” said Rose. “As long as personally, if you’re out there playing hard and doing what you’re supposed to do, it’s for the betterment of the team. Everybody’s not going to have that chemistry right now, it’s going to take time, period.”

The biggest area of concern for the team heading into the regular season is certainly their defense. The Wolves’ players will be the first to admit that they gave up way too many points in the preseason. Like many other areas of their game, players feel like they have the tools, they just need to execute in games. 

“If we play defense the way we’re supposed to and we play defense the way we do here in practice, we should have no problems against most of the teams in the league and other teams it’ll be a great fight,” said Towns. 

For two of the Wolves’ players, Wednesday’s game is more than just the start of the regular season. Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop will both be suiting up for their first-ever NBA game. Thibodeau has been impressed with their effort so far and loves the energy they bring to the group. 

“They’ve embraced the learning aspect of it,” he said. “It’s like anything else, if you’re doing it for the first time you have to develop an understanding of it. I think coming and doing the right things each and every day, and just be a sponge, learn as much as you can but bring energy. That’s what I think both young guys are doing they’re bringing a lot of energy to our team.” 

While the energy is important, it’s also key for rookies to slow down and play smart—that’s the message Towns has been sending to the two young players every day. 

“It’s an experience they need to savor and enjoy. I told them the same thing KG told me my whole rookie year and I still abide by today: slow down and breath,” said Towns. “When you’ve got athletes like that you just got to tell them to calm down and play smart.”

Okogie and Bates-Diop feel prepared and ready for the moment, but there’s no doubt it’s a big achievement to play in their first NBA game. All those hours at the gym, the sweat from countless hours of practice, it’s all paying off.

“It will be a dream come true,” said Bates-Diop. “I’ve dreamed about this since I was a kid, so when I finally get out there it’ll be a dream realized.” 

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Training Camp Report | Defense, Intensity And A Big Moment For The Rookies

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Gallery | Practice - Oct. 15, 2018

This might be the year that talent and opportunity line up for Tyus Jones.

Jones had the best season of his career last season, scoring 5.1 points per game and adding 2.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Jones played in every Wolves game last year, averaging 17.9 minutes per game.

While his numbers from last season don’t jump off the page, there’s a lot to like about Jones’ game in the context of this year’s Timberwolves team that lead us to believe he may be the Wolves’ breakout player of the year.

Coach Tom Thibodeau has spoken at length about playing more three-guard lineups. Those lineups will certainly include Jones. Jones is versatile enough to play alongside any of the Wolves’ guards and can play either the one or the two. With Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose both having the strength to play the small forward in smaller lineups, Jones could see a lot of time at shooting guard with Jeff Teague running the point. With Teague on the bench, Jones can also serve as the primary ball handler for the team.

With the departure of Jamal Crawford, who played 20.7 minutes per game last season, Jones could easily see 20+ minutes per game, provided he performs. Jones proved last year that he can be very durable and play many roles for the Wolves. That’s very important and not often discussed. Though he’ll have a role regardless, Jones will almost certainly be the first man up should the Wolves deal with any injuries.

Jones was very good last season in situations where he was allowed to play a larger role. In 14 games where he played 20-29 minutes, he averaged 7.7 points and 4.4 assists and was a +20 overall. In 11 starts Jones averaged 9.4 points and 4.9 assists per game and was +18.4. The talent is clearly there for Jones, it’s just a matter of figuring out his fit. 

The area where Jones needs the most improvement is his defense. Though his steal numbers improved last year and he is a physical defender, the young guard still needs to work on his decision making and positioning on defense. Thibodeau has said as much during training camp: Jones’ time on the court is dependent on his growth on defense.

As hard of a worker as Jones is, there’s little doubt that he will take another step forward this year. That improvement plus a larger opportunity should lead to a breakout year for the Minnesota native. 

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Preseason Predictions | Tyus Jones Will Be The Wolves' Breakout Player

This offseason, the Timberwolves needed to address two main things in free agency. 

One was 3-point shooting, and the other was bench depth. 

By signing Anthony Tolliver for his second stint in Minnesota, the Wolves can cross both of those things off their list. 

Last season, the second unit was one of the biggest weaknesses of the Timberwolves. On paper, it looks like that group will be drastically better than a season ago. And the most-important piece in the group is Tolliver.

We can expect Tolliver to play somewhere between 20-24 minutes per game, which is what he called his “sweet spot” in training camp. 

He’s coming off the best season of his career with the Pistons, averaging 8.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 46.4 percent from the field (career high), 43.6 percent from the 3-point line (career high and seventh in the NBA) and 79.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Throughout training camp, Tolliver has told us more than once that he’s going to let it fly from deep. After all, he did shoot 4.6 3-pointers per game last season. And if he’s hitting at a 40-percent clip from deep, everything tells us that Tolliver should get the green light. 

One thing that should put Tolliver in a position to succeed is Tyus Jones. Jones is the commander of the second unit and is a traditional point guard who does an excellent job of setting teammates up.   

When you think about a Sixth Man, you tend to think of guards. Only one forward has won the Sixth Man of the Year since 2010-11, and that was Lamar Odom. Prior to that, it was Mike Miller in 2005-06. 

Tolliver has the position flexibility to play both forward spots and it wouldn’t be wild to see him move to the five if the Wolves play small ball. 

He’s improved throughout his career offensively. He’s no longer just a shooter. He can put the ball on the floor and make plays and that’s something that he’s only recently been able to do which is incredible considering he’s 33 years old. Most players don’t continue to improve into their 30s. That speaks to Tolliver's work ethic.

While his offense will be what makes fans happy, his defense is what will keep him on the floor in Tom Thibodeau’s system. Tolliver is a smart team defender and is well-respected among NBA coaches. 

He might not be a superstar, but the Timberwolves don’t need him to be. They need reliable play from the second unit, something that Tolliver seems well-equipped to give the team. 

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Preseason Predictions | Anthony Tolliver Will Give Wolves Huge Bench Boost

This is the final preseason game for the Wolves – and after losing the last three games in kind of ugly fashion, this is an important game for Minnesota.

It’s not a surprise there have been growing pains. There are new faces such as Keita Bates-Diop, Josh Okogie and Anthony Tolliver on the second unit, and Derrick Rose is in the starting lineup instead of Jimmy Butler.

There are adjustments that need to be made. Defensively, it’s about effort, and offensively, you’d like to see the team move the ball around better.

Minnesota will have a few days of practice after this game before playing the Spurs in San Antonio to open the season on Wednesday night.

What: Wolves at BucksWhen: Friday, Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. CTWhere: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WIWatch: FOX Sports NorthListen: No radio

This is the second matchup between the two teams this preseason. The teams faced off on Sunday in Iowa and the Bucks won 125-107. Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 33 points and 12 rebounds.

Wolves wing Andrew Wiggins will not be in Milwaukee. He'll be at home awaiting the birth of his first child.

We’ll likely see what coach Tom Thibodeau wants to use as his main rotation to start the season. So far, the starting unit has consisted of Jeff Teague, Rose, Wiggins, Taj Gibson and Towns, while the second unit has been Tyus Jones, Okogie, Bates-Diop, Tolliver and Gorgui Dieng. We’ll see if Thibs shortens the rotation in this game to match what he’ll likely do in the regular season. 

Wolves: PG – Teague, SG – Rose, SF – Okogie, PF – Gibson, C - Towns

Bucks: PG—Bledsoe, SG – Brogdon, SF – Middleton, PF – Antetokounmpo, C – Lopez

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Preseason Scouting Report | Wolves at Bucks

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