Karl-Anthony Towns  exploded for a season-high 40 points in his team's impressive 127-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Even more impressive than that gaudy point total is the efficiency with which the Minnesota Timberwolves star accomplished it. Towns went 15-of-25 from the field, 2-of-3 from deep and a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line.

Let's just say Wolves coach Chris Finch wasn't surprised by the veteran big man's standout night.

“KAT’s superpower is his efficiency,” he said after the game, per Minnesota beat writer Dane Moore.

The win moved Minnesota to 19-5, tied with the Boston Celtics for the best record in basketball. The Wolves' 106.6 defensive rating is the league's best, and their +7.3 net rating ranks third behind that of the Philadelphia 76ers and Celtics, per NBA.com/stats.

Minnesota's start to 2023-24 has been an unmitigated success. To cement themselves as a trie top-tier championship contender, though, the Timberwolves must take further strides offensively as the 82-game grind continues. Their win over the defense-averse Pacers was an encouraging sign in that regard, and not just because Towns dominated.

Anthony Edwards was right behind him, dropping 37 points on 14-of-23 overall and 7-of-10 from deep. Needless to say, Minnesota will be even tougher to beat going forward if their stars even close to that combined level of production and efficiency.

“Our defense did a good job getting us into this game tonight,” Towns said, per the AP. “Offensively, it’s great to hit some shots, but being able to fall back on our identity and our standards defensively found our way to the win.”