The weekend has started off on the wrong foot for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Friday night, the team lost star guard Anthony Edwards to an ankle injury before falling on the road to the Chicago Bulls in double overtime. The loss plunged them below.500 at 35-36 and only one game clear of the 11th-place Utah Jazz. Saturday has brought only more uncertainty, specifically concerning Karl-Anthony Towns.
The three-time All-Star has been nursing a calf injury since November, and it seems like he is wearing thin on patience regarding the timetable for his return.
Me waiting to get cleared to play…..let the kid do what he loves 🏀 pic.twitter.com/WlDGNZ1Ctm
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) March 18, 2023
Towns' Tweet can be interpreted in a couple of different ways. One, he is tired of jumping through medical hoops in this endless rehab process. Or two, Minnesota is taking a cautious approach with their big man and he is not pleased with it. The latter seems unlikely, though, given there has been no indication of current dissension. Nor has there been any reported reluctance to play Towns on the Wolves end.
However, desperation should be nearing its peak in the organization. If the team is without both Edwards and Towns for this upcoming final stretch of the regular season, then even reaching the NBA Play-In Tournament seems unfathomable. But Minnesota cannot just throw the center out there after such a lengthy absence either, though.
Earlier in the week, the team said that Towns is making good progress with on-court activities and should return in the coming weeks. He was initially only believed to be sidelined for up to six weeks, but the injury was revealed to be a Grade 3 right calf strain.
The whole process has been frustrating for fans, and clearly Towns himself. The Timberwolves can only hope he quickly clears every barrier ahead. They will take things day by day, starting with the Toronto Raptors Saturday night.
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