Is Karl-Anthony Towns playing tonight against Denver Nuggets? Looking at Wolves star's status for Game 3 (May 10)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as available for the upcoming Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

The Minnesota Timberwolves remained unbeaten in the playoffs with a convincing 106-80 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns led the scoring attack, each tallying 27 points while shooting 21 of 32 shooting from the field.

Off the bench, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker made significiant contributions, with each recording 14 points and five rebounds. Minnesota's defensive dominance proved to be the key factor, holding Denver to 34.9% shooting overall and 30.0% from 3-point range. The Timberwolves also forced 16 turnovers and controlled the game from the outset, never relinquishing the lead.

Minnesota's stingy defense, which has been a hallmark all season, has carried over into the playoffs. They've limited the scoring of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, while effectively shutting down Denver's role players. Notably, the Timberwolves secured Game 2 without Rudy Gobert (personal reasons) showcasing their depth.

Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been offensive sparks off the bench, consistently outperforming their counterparts. While Minnesota's offense hasn't yet reached peak efficiency, their defensive dominance has proven sufficient in this series.

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What happened to Karl-Anthony Towns?

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns was forced to the sidelines on March 8, after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee. Undergoing surgery on March 12, Towns faced a four-week recovery period with team doctors reevaluating his status then. This knee injury sidelined the 28-year-old for a total of 18 games, bringing his total missed games for the season to 20.

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Karl-Anthony Towns stats vs Denver Nuggets

Karl-Anthony Towns has appeared in 23 games against the Denver Nuggets, going 10-13. He has averaged a double-double with 24.0 points, 11.0 rebounds with 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks on 53.1% shooting from the field, including 39.8% from the 3-point line and 85.7% from the free-throw line in 34.8 minutes.

His shooting split averages fall just short of the 50/40/90 club, underscoring his versatility in his scoring as a big man for a Wolves team that relies on his ability to stretch the floor as well as post-up smaller players near the basket to play alongside Rudy Gobert, who has his offensive limitations but makes up for it on the defensive end.

His pick-and-roll game with guards like Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards adds another layer to the Wolves' offense, which presents a challenge for the slow-footed Nikola Jokic.