Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns acknowledged that the time to chase stats is over, re-affirming that his only focus is helping Minnesota win in a turbulent season, Dane Moore of Blue Wire Podcasts tweets.
Towns recently put forth a 30-point, 16-rebound performance in a loss to the Grizzlies on Friday, following it up with a 39-point, 14-rebound outing in a loss to the Sixers on Saturday. The Timberwolves are just 12-38 and have dealt with significant injuries and COVID-19 issues throughout the season.
“I’ve had the time to mess up and I guess you could say ‘chase stats.’ That s–t is over,” Towns said. “I’ve proved myself in this league. I truly believe that. I don’t have to prove myself anymore. But now what I have to prove is: can I win? I think that’s the next step.
“I have to do whatever it takes. I look at the stat sheet, ‘Oh, it’s great, it’s wonderful, 30 and 16’. But we lost. I don’t give a s–t then. At the end of the day, the word on me is still gonna be the word. There’s only one way to change the narrative, and that’s to go beat the narrative.”
Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:
- Trail Blazers guard Norman Powell is adjusting quickly in Portland, Casey Holdahl of NBA.com writes. Powell was recently traded to Portland from Toronto and has proven to be effective in his limited time, scoring 15 points in the team’s win over the Thunder on Saturday. “I feel good, I feel like the transition has been really easy,” Powell said. “The coaches, the guys have made it real easy to fit in. I feel like the more time I spend with them, the more practices we get in, the more games, I’ll start to feel better with the chemistry, the flow of the game, the play-calling and rotations on defense. I’m liking it so far.”
- Warriors forward Eric Paschall will miss at least two weeks after undergoing an MRI on Saturday that revealed a left hip flexor strain, the team announced (Twitter link). Paschall, 24, is averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 17.3 minutes per game this season.
- The Thunder have released medical updates on Josh Hall and Isaiah Roby, announcing that both players sustained concussions in the team’s game against Portland. They’ll now join second-year player Luguentz Dort in the league’s concussion protocol.
I don’t think it will happen with the cast they’ve got around you. Rubio is not a game changer. Beasley is a stat chaser. You have zero wings. And DLo is a permanent resident of the Training Room.
Only way to find out is to actually see them play together.
Just wasting his prime imo.
Same thing they did with KG.
They need to keep losing since their pick is top-3 protected to avoid sending it to Golden State, just like the Rockets with their top-4 protected pick.
Edwards has been looking like a beast though, and I have a feeling Minnesota will be able to snag the hometown kid Suggs with one of the first lottery picks. I hope things turn around quickly for the T-Wolves.
If they get Suggs they should try and deal DLo for a wing or a 4.
That’s the thing though, they won’t trade DLo. They brought him there for KAT. He’s here to stay. Whether that’s good or bad.
KAT does not care if DLo is on the team or not – he wants to win. Trade DLo YESTERDAY!
He wants to win, so he shouldn’t wait until he’s 31 to demand a trade like KG did. Maybe he can go to Boston too.
KG didn’t demand a trade either.
Robert Williams, KAT, Tatum, Brown and Kemba or Smart would be nuts. I just can’t picture how they would be able to pull off a deal without giving up brown or Tatum + since ainge has used his assets on useless players
Y’all are so quick to trade this man for no reason when it was 100% cheers when we landed him in a trade. Make up your minds, fair weather fans.
If it wasn’t for KAT they never would have traded all that for D-Lo in the first place. They are friends and wanted to play together. That was well chronicled when the trade talks were happening.
The wing problem will eventually be solved. McDaniels, Vanderbilt and Edwards are all ballers on the wing in the future.
The team is deep. Rubio and D Lo don’t fit but D Lo isn’t going anywhere. The only problem that won’t go away next year is D Lo amd KAT’s defense. They will forever be bad.
KAT may be the most over rated player in the league.
How
Towns is years late with his narrative talk but maybe just in time as he is about 25.4yo. Not sure if he has talked like this before then regressed.
He was worried about proving he belongs? Not a firm logic NBA-wise. I suppose he read too many people saying the Wolves cannot win with him. I have never thought so… unpredictability can confuse a defense but also teammates.
MIN signed D’Lo to keep Towns. Well he’s kept now.
Oh, did they sign DLo? Seems like you pay a lot of attention to this team.
He don’t talk ball. He’s a commentator. He gets confused at times.
You never stop talking ball even if they’re points from years ago, repeated daily if triggered.
D’Lo was traded for Wiggins and a high first. My “signing” was an error, which however, adds to my point that MIN sacrificed to get D’Lo, and that he’s not worth it and now they’re stuck with giving the duo a try.
D’Lo wasn’t the turnaround guy at BRK either where he was mostly good at getting acclaim. Where are his fans now.
Minny wants to start winning. They need to start playing team defense. KAT should lead by example and play better D. NBA pays for offense. So it’s like they create these type of scenarios. Two good young talents already getting payed. But both have never won anything or been on a winner. Jimmy here
(2017-18) they won 47 gms. Since he’s left and KAT the leader. They’ve won 36, 19, this yr 12. Winning is a culture.
Given where they are, “Minny” might want a top 3 pick more, and Towns to mature next year. Or just start to, since the brain stops changing at about 26.
I have been predicting more success for them, but the snowball gets rolling the wrong way!
They changed coach and their whole team sale news. Had to be distraction. They had issues with injuries and players. They are basically a young team. So disfunction is not conducive to building team character. There is talent here I agree. But as a franchise it’s just moving in wrong direction. If you don’t have a leader, here it should be the coach. Cause it’s a young new group. You start to create chaos and winning is not even high on the list. It’s a team sport you need talent and everyone on the same page. Seems they are struggling with that. Best thing that can happen to them is a top 3 pick. Could bring everyone together.
Minnesota had a chance to change the culture with Jimmy Butler but the stayed soft. KAT is not tough. They have no D fear form other teams. Will KAT and DLo gel well they have not played enough games to know. Time will tell but unless Edwards becomes a leader I don’t see it
It’s good to see KAT finally take some ownership of his team’s W/L results. Time will tell if he has the work ethic to carry through and actually do whatever it takes. Got a new HC, who has to be an upgrade based on who he replaced. That’s a start, if he can buy in.
I look at Minny and see some of same chaos that happened in NY last 5 yrs. Trying to rebuild and doing it with 5 different coaches. Just don’t make sense. To me that’s weak leadership. When you have young guys under chaos. They develop bad habits. It can go the wrong way fast. Then throw in injuries, and it gets worse quickly. I’m thankful Knicks got Thibs and new management. Minny to me has better young talent than Knicks. KAT an all star has to step up. I don’t know much about Finch. But seems to me this team needs a general type coach. They are underachieving now, since Thibs had them in playoffs.
Minn has much better young talent. But no identity or direction. Thibs certainly gave them those, together with a veteran All Star (Butler) immersed in his system that they could learn from and emulate. Towns and Wiggins decided it was more important not to have Butler in their face (being mean to them), than it was to be an ascending young playoff team. Ran to the owner, and turned on the HC and player that were teaching them how to win. Great!
I know nothing about Finch except he’s been around as an AC awhile (the opposite of ball boy Saunders). I’m guessing Finch thinks like the GM (Morey guy), which I’m guessing is analytical. Towns can’t be picky, he needs to start buying into whoever his HC is, and making sure his teammates do as well. If Finch isn’t the right HC, he can consider it practice for when the right HC does comes along.
Robert Williams, KAT, Tatum, Brown and Kemba or Smart would be nuts. I just can’t picture how they would be able to pull off a deal without giving up brown or Tatum + since ainge has used his assets on useless players
KAT is right he has proved himself beyond any reasonable doubt… the guy is a legend, a HoF already!!!
The point is that for the first 7-8 years for this guys coming to the league at 18-19 years old, is all about proving how good they are, is all ’bout them, I do hate sooo much to hear a 21 year old talkin’ ’bout winning… is just so wrong in so many different levels.
First you gotta become the star, prove how good you can be, what you can achieve as a player in the league, chase the accolades, have fun while learnin’ for goodness sake…
Then when a guy gets around 25-26 years old & they reach their peak, then, & only then is the time for a player to start thinking ’bout winning…
So the point is that KAT is just gettin’ there at the right time, he has dominated the league for a few years & now is coming the time to start winning, & make no mistake ’bout it, if KAT really wants to will a team to victory, he is one of the very few megastars in this game that can actually do just that!