You have Karl-Anthony Towns on your fantasy team?
Well, hot diggity.
You're probably pretty pleased. Now, just imagine how happy the Wolves are to have him on their actual team.
His latest stretch is turning into more of the norm rather than an outlier.
Over the last 10 games (which equates to 23.5 percent of the season, more than a small sample size), Towns has averaged 27.5 points, 16.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from the 3-point line.
The Wolves are 6-4 in that stretch and Towns has been a plus player in all but one of those games.
Most recently, Towns finished with an insane stat line of 27 points, 27 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans in a win on Saturday night. This was after a disappointing last-minute loss to the Mavericks on Friday night.
It was clear Towns was pretty unhappy about that loss and told reporters he’d to his best to avenge it Iron Man style the next night.
I’d say 27 points and 27 rebounds will do.
“Twenty seven rebounds means you’re really playing to win,” Timberwolves interim head coach Ryan Saunders said. “And you’re playing meaningful possessions where you understand that this was a win that we needed against a team that we’re going to be fighting with for playoff positioning. For Karl to say that and then to come out and do it, that’s a big testament to him.”
Rookie Josh Okogie, who is quite the spark of energy himself, added onto to that.
“He was playing like the player we need him to (be),” Okogie said. “Big KAT.He’s a big man down low. That’s what he was for us. He provided with us some clutch shots down the stretch and that’s what he did. That’s what he does.”
After a slow start to the season (for a variety of reasons), Towns’ numbers are now better than they were last season and he has the Wolves knocking on the door of the playoffs.
Towns is averaging 22.4 points (+1.1 from last season), 12.6 rebounds (+0.3), 3.0 assists (career high and 0.6), 2.0 blocks (career high and +0.6) and 0.9 steals (career high and +0.1).
He ranks 17th in points per game, sixth in rebounds per game and sixth in blocks per game.
Davis is the only other player to be ranked in the top-17 in scoring and top six in the other two categories.
At 21-22, the Wolves are just 1.5 games back from a playoff spot.
Towns should be on his way to his second All-Star appearance along with All NBA considerations.
He’ll have plenty of motivation on Tuesday night as he goes up against Joel Embiid and the 76ers in Philadelphia. Of course, it’s also the first game between the Wolves and 76ers since the Jimmy Butler trade.
The Wolves were a dreadful 4-9 before the trade and with Towns leading the way, the Wolves are 17-13 after.