Dane Moore: Josh Okogie (hamstring) and Karl-Anthony Towns (wrist) are both questionable to play Wednesday against Memphis. From what Ryan Saunders said this morning, it certainly sounds like both Okogie and Towns are more likely to play than not.
NBA Rumor: Karl-Anthony Towns Injury
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As Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns was debating playing Saturday night, he said, he had some tough talks with his father and girlfriend about whether he should take the floor when his injured left wrist isn’t fully healed. He said both of them told him no. But as the game neared Towns changed his mind. “I just put my jersey on and said it’s time to go play,” Towns said. “Obviously it wasn’t the best decision for my personal health at all.”
Towns said he was told the injury could cost him six to eight weeks of time, but he made it back on the floor in two. Watching the Wolves lose six straight without him contributed to the speed of his return. “It wasn’t acceptable,” Towns said. “I tried to rush as hard as I could to get back and be here with this team. Even if it required playing with one hand, wearing a cast, I was going to do what I gotta do to play.” That meant constant rehab, with Towns displaying on his social media some of the machines to which his wrist was attached while sitting at home. “The last two weeks have just been constant rehab every single moment,” Towns said. “As soon as I wake up I’m rehabbing until I sleep.”
Dane Moore: Karl-Anthony Towns said he played tonight wearing a cast on his wrist. “The last two weeks have just been constant rehab every single moment… I tried to rush as hard as I could to get back and be here with this team. Even if it required playing with one hand, wearing a cast.”
Dane Moore: How Karl-Anthony Towns described his decision to play tonight: “It was like 26 or 27 minutes left before tip and the actual words I said was ‘F— it’. I just put my jersey on and said it’s time to go play. Obviously, it wasn’t the best decision for my personal health at all.”
Karl-Anthony Towns returns after six games out
Jon Krawczynski: Karl-Anthony Towns is active tonight, it was just announced in the arena
Ryan Saunders: Karl-Anthony Towns returning quickly from injury to step up for Wolves
Jon Krawczynski: Saunders: “This is Karl wanting to step up for this organization.”
Karl-Anthony Towns returning on Saturday?
Jon Krawczynski: Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has been upgraded to questionable for tomorrow night’s game vs. the Spurs, with optimism among the Wolves that a return is on the horizon.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources expect KAT return to be closer to a game-time decision on Saturday, sources tell ESPN.
Darren Wolfson: Buzz is KAT willing to come back while not 100 percent. He desperately realizes how badly he’s missed. Encouraging. On Okogie, hopefully in next 2-4 days he’ll play again. Much needed help isn’t far off. #Timberwolves
Jon Krawczynski: Saunders: Towns has “progressed steadily” and is doing a little more where he can handle a basketball on the court. Won’t play at Portland either. Evaluate more when they get back home
When the Wolves announced Towns would be out indefinitely because of a dislocated wrist, they announced he would be re-evaluated on a weekly basis. Sunday marked a week since that announcement. Saunders wasn’t sure what day that evaluation would take place but said it would be “early this week.” “I know we’re on about a week from when we kind of found all this out, but I don’t have an exact date on when that evaluation would be,” Saunders said. “It would be early this week though, staying in that weekly update.”
Mike Trudell: Wolves coach Ryan Saunders said KAT can’t be replaced with just one player, and that Minnesota’s whole team will have to step up. A huge offensive weapon at the 5, of course, Towns started the season well on the defensive end as MIN opened 2-0 (vs. DET and at UTA).
Dane Moore: Ryan Saunders says there is “no definitive timetable” for Karl-Anthony Towns’ wrist injury and that the team will “evaluate on a weekly basis”.
Karl-Anthony Towns suffers left wrist dislocation
During the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz, Towns sustained an injury to his left wrist. He was evaluated by a hand specialist today in Los Angeles, which revealed a left perilunate subluxation (dislocation).
Towns will be listed as out for tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and will be further evaluated weekly as he undergoes treatment to return to play. He will not require surgery.
No bone damage for Karl-Anthony Towns wrist
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: MRI on left wrist of Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns shows no bone damage. Team calling him “questionable” for game against Lakers tonight. Wolves are one of four teams in the West off to a 2-0 start.
The Wolves have declined to give updates on Towns’ status out of respect for the personal pain Towns was going through when his mother Jacqueline died of COVID-19 in April. On Wednesday, the Wolves held a virtual media availability to discuss their season ending and how the organizaiton has responded to the death of George Floyd. On the call, President Gersson Rosas again declined to give specifics on Towns’ wrist, but said the organization feels “positive” about how Towns’ wrist is progressing.
The Wolves have declined to give updates on Towns’ status out of respect for the personal pain Towns was going through when his mother Jacqueline died of COVID-19 in April. On Wednesday, the Wolves held a virtual media availability to discuss their season ending and how the organizaiton has responded to the death of George Floyd. On the call, President Gersson Rosas again declined to give specifics on Towns’ wrist, but said the organization feels “positive” about how Towns’ wrist is progressing.
Dane Moore: Gersson Rosas shared on a conference call with Minnesota media that there is no update on Karl-Anthony Towns’ wrist injury. The more pressing issues in Karl’s life are being prioritized.
Christopher Hine: Karl-Anthony Towns medical update from the Timberwolves: Towns’ injury continues to heal, they’ll re-evaluate in two weeks. No surgery, proceeding treatment/healing without surgery.
Christopher Hine: Karl-Anthony Towns joined the team for the trip to Miami (I don’t blame him there) after skipping out on Denver and Dallas. He’s on the bench now.
KAT wants to return this season
The translation: The Wolves don’t plan to let their place in the standings dictate their decision with Towns. League sources told The Athletic that Towns desperately wants to return to the court this season to play with Russell, Malik Beasley and the rest of a completely revamped Wolves roster. He and Russell have been talking for years about playing together, and watching Gersson Rosas engineer the trades just before the deadline energized him for the stretch run. But Towns has only played one game with Russell, and now will be watching from the bench for his second extended stretch this season.
“Karl has done everything to play through any type of pain and he’s put the team first,” Saunders said. “You can’t say enough positive things about the way he’s done that. We want to make sure we take care of his body then, too. So over these next couple of weeks at least, it’s one of these things where other guys will have to step into larger roles and then you see if they can handle a heavier load. When Karl is in the mix, then you can see how all those guys fit with it.”
Karl-Anthony Towns suffers wrist fracture
Jon Krawczynski: Karl-Anthony Towns has a fracture in his left wrist, Wolves say. He will be re-evaluated in 2 weeks. Wolves play 8 games in that span, not including a 9th on 3/6, which is the 2 weeks to the day.
Karl-Anthony Towns missing time for wrist injury?
Exactly how long Towns will be out with a left wrist injury remains unknown, but it is expected that he will miss multiple games when the Wolves resume playing after the break next week. His surprising scratch against Charlotte on Wednesday night was the latest curveball the team has had to deal with during a wild first 53 games of the season.
Towns underwent an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) yesterday, which revealed a left wrist injury. Towns will be listed as out for tonight’s game vs. Charlotte and will be further evaluated over the All-Star break.
Christopher Hine: Saunders didn’t say specifically if Towns would have a minutes limit but … “He hasn’t played for a while here, so rhythm will be a factor. Wind will be a factor so we’ll take all those things into consideration.”
Dane Moore: With Karl-Anthony Towns set to play tonight in Indiana, I hope the doubt surrounding the illness part of his absence goes away. I’ve been told his knee was ready to go last Saturday in Houston but the 102-degree fever from strep throat sidelined him this week.
Karl-Anthony Towns back
Mark Montieth: Karl-Anthony Towns will play tonight for @Minnesota Timberwolves vs @Indiana Pacers at @TheFieldhouse. First appearance since December.
Dane Moore: Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable to play in tomorrow’s home game against Portland. Towns has missed the Timberwolves past 11 games.
James Ham: Hearing Karl-Anthony Towns will not play tonight against Sacramento. Listed as questionable.
Christopher Hine: Napier is available tonight. Saunders said Towns was able to “do more movement today.” So things are trending up there slowly but surely. Said Towns’ recovery is a “continued day to day process.”
Jon Krawczynski: Saunders says KAT is day to day. Will see how he feels tomorrow. Possible that the schedule plays into this. Getting tonight off would give him a full week between games. As wolves don’t play again until Friday
Jon Krawczynski: Karl-Anthony Towns will not play tonight because of a knee injury, Saunders said.
Dane Moore: Karl-Anthony Towns has been walking around the Wolves facility with a serious limp the past two days. He crashed to the floor hard in the Wolves last game on Friday. “He’s just banged up a little bit,” said Ryan Saunders at today’s practice. “But we’ll see how he is today.”
Dane Moore: Karl-Anthony Towns is DOUBTFUL to play tonight in Denver, per the team. Yesterday, to the media, Ryan Saunders suggested it would be a long-shot that Towns plays.
Kyle Ratke: Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) out tonight vs Raptors. Feels like there’s a good chance he’ll be out tomorrow night in Denver.
Dane Moore: Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable to play tonight against Toronto with right knee inflammation, per the team. Jerryd Bayless is also questionable — right ankle contusion Taj Gibson, again, doubtful — calf strain
Dane Moore: Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague and Andrew Wiggins — all of whom missed Tuesday’s game in Denver are questionable to play Thursday in Utah. Karl-Anthony Towns is probable to play in that game. His knee ailment is inflammation/stiffness that he doesn’t anticipate missing time for.
Jon Krawczynski: KAT on getting back out there: “Felt good. … I’ve played through worse. It was getting stiffer as the game went along, but I’m always going to say I feel good. I speak it into existence.”
Dane Moore: Karl-Anthony Towns is PROBABLE to play tonight against Denver. Andrew Wiggins, Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose are questionable. Robert Covington and Luol Deng are both out.
Christopher Hine: Karl-Anthony Towns on the notion that he shouldn’t play the rest of the season: “I can’t do that. I got too much pride in playing, being on the court with my guys than worry about me getting a little hurt this year. I was much more hurt last year … This ain’t nothing.”
Jon Krawczynski: Towns says he was in a lot of pain when he hurt his knee but nothing compared to what he played through last year. So for fans who want him to shut it down, he says thank you but he’ll be just fine
Jon Krawczynski: In Denver, Ryan Saunders says Towns and Wiggins will go through shootaround and warmups before deciding if they will play
Dane Moore: Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns are questionable for the Wolves game at Denver tomorrow. Robert Covington and Luol Deng will be out again. That will be Covington’s 31st game missed in a row.
Dane Moore: Karl-Anthony Towns will be held out of tonight’s game with knee inflammation.
Christopher Hine: Ryan Saunders said Towns’ injury was a re-aggravation of some knee soreness that was lingering. He will go through warmups before seeing if he can play. Wiggins is out again. Bates-Diop to start again
Jon Krawczynski: Just landed after a flight. I’m Told that after an MRI today all indications are KAT avoided a serious injury with his right knee. Huge sigh of relief for Timberwolves
Jon Krawczynski: KAT: “I’m just blessed to be alive and talking right now.”
Karl-Anthony Towns remains in concussion protocol and will not play for Minnesota against Milwaukee, a night after missing a game for the first time in his career. The All-Star forward was in a car accident Thursday and didn’t play Friday in New York, ending his streak of 303 consecutive games started. He traveled with the Timberwolves for the game in Milwaukee on Saturday, rather than return to Minnesota, but hadn’t been cleared to play again.
Being unable to play has troubled Towns, coach Ryan Saunders said. “People asked me if he cared about his [consecutive games] streak,” Saunders said. “He hasn’t and didn’t mention one thing along those lines. It was all about being there for his teammates and contributing. He even had somebody run out and make sure he could get a sport coat so he was dressed properly on the bench so he could be there with his teammates. That says a lot about Karl.”
Matt Velazquez: Karl-Anthony Towns (concussion protocol) is out tonight vs the Bucks.
The highway crash that injured the Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns on Thursday and led to the All-Star missing his first NBA game was caused when a semitrailer truck hit from behind the car he was riding in, authorities said Saturday.
Wolves assistant strength coach Kurt Joseph, 29, was driving Towns to the airport when he slowed for traffic. That’s when the semi, driven by 51-year-old Michael Arndt of Janesville, Minn., hit the car from behind, the patrol continued. Towns complained of a minor injury but declined medical attention at the scene, the patrol said. No other injuries were reported.
Chris Hine: A couple details about Towns’ accident emerged from postgame. Saunders and Tolliver mentioned assistant strength & conditioning coach Kurt Joseph was with Towns in the car. (A source told the Star Tribune earlier tonight Towns wasn’t the driver). Taj Gibson drove by the accident.
Chris Hine: Gibson didn’t know Towns was a part of the accident when he drove by, he said. (1/2): “The first thing I saw him, I ran up on him and gave him a hug because I really drove past the cars, the pileage. It was a bunch of cars on the side of the freeway … And I was just praying I hope everybody in this wreck is OK. We get to New York and I didn’t know he was in it and I’m just happy he’s OK. “
For the first time in the past four seasons, the Timberwolves had to play a game without Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor. The sight of Towns in regular clothes cheering on the end of the bench was a new one for the Wolves, but they were thankful Towns was able to be there at all given his involvement in a car crash Thursday on his way to catch the team flight.
Stefan Bondy: Karl Anthony Towns is unavailable tonight against the Knicks. He’s entering concussion protocol after getting into a car accident last night.
Jerry Zgoda: KAT getting 5 stitches after he bumped heads with Andre Roberson, who got 4 of his own, here in OKC. Thunder leads 42-33 after a quarter
Erik Horne: Looks like Roberson and KAT each got a piece of each other in the face on KAT’s last bucket. Both players went to the locker room. Grant in for the Thunder.
January 26, 2021 | 8:02 pm EST Update
Andrew Greif: Whole Clippers staff is wearing these “Kobe” masks tonight. pic.twitter.com/W9QSqJTEZz
Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on the Knicks’ defensive strength: “Their size, first of all, starting with the rim protection. … And then their size across the rest of the frontcourt and their backcourt. When you do drive the ball and you get in the lane, they make it hard for you.”
