2 Studs & 3 Duds from Timberwolves massive game 6 win over Nuggets
By Ben Handler
Stud #1: Karl-Anthony Towns
KAT took a lot of heat for his play over the past few games as he wasn’t able to chip in enough to help his team. But on Thursday night he was incredible, and arguably the best player on the court. The most incredible part is that he did it despite a quiet shooting and scoring night.
But Towns made a major impact with his physicality and his defense of Jokic. He defended him about as well as anyone possibly could and was consistently able to move him off his spots and get the Nuggets’ offense out of rhythm. He was able to do it without getting in foul trouble and managing to control the boards.
Keeping Karl Anthony Towns on Nikola Jokic, as opposed to Rudy Gobert, is a priority for Minny not just because it keeps Rudy available to roam, but also because KAT is a legitimately a better Jokic defender.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) May 17, 2024
If it's Rudy here, Jokic is taking him down to the rim and scoring. pic.twitter.com/SUSUFmUZbF
His play allowed Gobert to roam around defensively, protecting the rim and creating his own impact. If Towns can play at this level on both ends without fouling, it’s a huge boost for the Wolves and makes them a completely different team.
Rudy Gobert dunk, created by Jaden McDaniels + Karl-Anthony Towns pic.twitter.com/x5V8BsRMXx
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 17, 2024
The most telling sign of Towns’ impact was Michael Malone changing his rotations and keeping Jokic on the floor to start the second quarter while KAT went to the bench. The Nuggets immediately went on a run, led by Jokic looking more comfortable.
Nobody in the league can stop the Joker, but oddly enough it seems like KAT does about as well as anyone. Without stuffing the stat sheet, Towns made a massive impact on this game. If he can do it again in Game 7 that could be a major X-factor.