Despite pushing their second-round playoff series against the Nuggets to a Game 7 in Denver, not many gave the Timberwolves a chance of upstaging the defending champions and ending their season. Most believed Nikola Jokic would dominate Minnesota’s centers and lead his team to victory. However, Karl-Anthony Towns had other ideas.
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The Timberwolves star had an exceptional game on both ends of the court and helped his team beat the Nuggets and advance to the Western Conference Finals. KAT not only believed his team would pull off the upset win, he visualized it hours before his team arrived at the arena for shootaround.
During an appearance on Podcast P, the center told host Paul George that he sat alone in the stands, envisioned Jokic attacking him, and took mental notes about how he’d respond. He said,
“I was there [Ball Arena] early, like two hours before my shooting time… I understood the magnitude of the game, I understood what my assignment was, and I just remember sitting in that chair, it was the 7th row, and the 7th chair in Denver! Felt like I was just looking at at every move Jokic was gonna do in the game.”
KAT stifled the reigning MVP on defense and attacked him at every opportunity on offense. He used his size and strength to disrupt his rhythm and prevent him from finding open teammates. His efforts paid dividends. Jokic shot an underwhelming 13-of-28 from the field and finished the game with seven assists and three turnovers.
KAT and Rudy Gobert’s excellent defense in the paint forced him to shoot three-pointers and he struggled, banking only two of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc. On the flip side, the Timberwolves star finished the game with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
His contributions helped the Timberwolves grab a 98-90 victory in Denver to book their berth in the Conference Finals. The physical and mental toll of their seven-game slugfest against the Nuggets was evident against the Mavericks.
Dallas dispatched them with ease in five games and advanced to the NBA Finals. Regardless, their series win over the Nuggets was a watershed moment for the franchise.
It ended their 20-year wait for a Conference Finals appearance and gave them the belief that they were on the right track. KAT and the rest of the team can back themselves to take on any team in the NBA and bring a championship to Minnesota.
