**The Official Karl-Anthony Towns Thread: Part Two**

[Klomp]

It's not too late for the narrative to turn in regards to Karl-Anthony Towns and his defense. I think back to when Brook Lopez was running in pre-draft workout drills for the Timberwolves with JimPete....Brook didn't become known as a plus defender for a long time after.

[wolves_89]

After watching KAT for his whole career, I've come to believe that he's a decent defender with the one caveat of being truly terrible as the center in a drop coverage scheme. KAT's poor defensive reputation is a result of the team asking to be a drop coverage center in way too many seasons.

[TimberKat]

After watching KAT for his whole career, I've come to believe that he's a decent defender with the one caveat of being truly terrible as the center in a drop coverage scheme. KAT's poor defensive reputation is a result of the team asking to be a drop coverage center in way too many seasons.

A player's position is the position that he can defend. Centers are supposed to be able to play drop coverage at least once a while. That is why the Gobert trade makes sense to me. I can say that loudly now that it seems to work. Both Towns and Naz are terrible in drop coverage.

[minimus]

After watching KAT for his whole career, I've come to believe that he's a decent defender with the one caveat of being truly terrible as the center in a drop coverage scheme. KAT's poor defensive reputation is a result of the team asking to be a drop coverage center in way too many seasons.

This year he actually had some good defensive possessions as drop C. But yeah, it should not be his full time job.

[Nick K]

Another good comparison for Towns could be late Kevin Love: offensive minded PF, who provide little defense, but can stretch defense, rebound, set screens and pass. And more importantly plays within his role as stretch four.

I just wonder whether low profile PF can be a solution for our PF problem. In first games Naz Reid has showed that he can fill some minutes at PF next to Gobert/Towns. If we trade Towns it will be Reid/Anderson/Minott/Miller who can fill that void with more shot opportunities for McDaniels. Not sure if rookie can handle this duty, I was impressed how Towns toyed with Olivier-Maxence Prosper in preseason game. I remember I thought that Miller or Minott would be abused as well if they start against Zion, Giannis, Tatum, Davis etc.

Top Ten in Defensive Rating, early in the season.

1. Rudy Gobert • MIN 95.8
2. Karl-Anthony Towns • MIN 98.3
3. Mitchell Robinson • NYK 99.3
4. Deandre Ayton • POR 99.4
5. Nickeil Alexander-Walker • MIN 100.1
6. Kyle Anderson • MIN 100.6
7. Naz Reid • MIN 101.6
8. Jalen Suggs • ORL 102.0
9. Donte DiVincenzo • NYK 102.9
10. Anthony Edwards • MIN 103.1

Yep, Towns sucks at defense. No matter what, Kat is a big time talent that you keep. Not one where you move him on a whim for personality issues. Just sayin...

[minimus]

Another good comparison for Towns could be late Kevin Love: offensive minded PF, who provide little defense, but can stretch defense, rebound, set screens and pass. And more importantly plays within his role as stretch four.

I just wonder whether low profile PF can be a solution for our PF problem. In first games Naz Reid has showed that he can fill some minutes at PF next to Gobert/Towns. If we trade Towns it will be Reid/Anderson/Minott/Miller who can fill that void with more shot opportunities for McDaniels. Not sure if rookie can handle this duty, I was impressed how Towns toyed with Olivier-Maxence Prosper in preseason game. I remember I thought that Miller or Minott would be abused as well if they start against Zion, Giannis, Tatum, Davis etc.

Top Ten in Defensive Rating, early in the season.

1. Rudy Gobert • MIN 95.8
2. Karl-Anthony Towns • MIN 98.3
3. Mitchell Robinson • NYK 99.3
4. Deandre Ayton • POR 99.4
5. Nickeil Alexander-Walker • MIN 100.1
6. Kyle Anderson • MIN 100.6
7. Naz Reid • MIN 101.6
8. Jalen Suggs • ORL 102.0
9. Donte DiVincenzo • NYK 102.9
10. Anthony Edwards • MIN 103.1

Yep, Towns sucks at defense. No matter what, Kat is a big time talent that you keep. Not one where you move him on a whim for personality issues. Just sayin...

I think that first seven games is a small sample size... But if we want to discuss it, there are stats that are very concerning. For instance:

1) MIN ORtg
- first half - 121.3 (top-3)
- second half - 99.1 (worst in NBA!)

2) despite Conley's ridiculous 30:1 AST:TO ratio, MIN is still on 22nd place of all 30 NBA teams in AST:TO ratio. Combine this with fact that we are 23 in PACE this season

3) MIN are 21st in drives per game, 4th highest in turnover % on drives, 26th in assist % on drives

Yes, Towns does not look as a bad defender, but IMO it speaks more about roster construction around him. It means that late Kevin Love would be a positive defender here as well with his rebounding. However, multiple Towns really bad showings in offense are really concerning. I would be happy if instead those 2-3 weak, ticky tack, moving screen, hooking offensive fouls, Towns would deliver 2-3 hard veteran fouls under the rim (or take charge). It would make us a really physical, tough team. However right now his fouls are straight dead ball turnovers, that hurt MIN so much.

[Klomp]

The thing that holds back Karl at times is it seems like he has a slow processing speed. He's always been slow to adjust to how teams are guarding him, how refs are calling games, etc. Boston putting Jrue on him took him out of the first half.

Dane and Jace mentioned that Karl has NEVER had issues to this degree playing against single coverage most of the time in the past. But he's now conditioned his mind to opponents doubling him that he's not sure how to react when they play him straight up.

[Guest84]

The thing that holds back Karl at times is it seems like he has a slow processing speed. He's always been slow to adjust to how teams are guarding him, how refs are calling games, etc. Boston putting Jrue on him took him out of the first half.

Dane and Jace mentioned that Karl has NEVER had issues to this degree playing against single coverage most of the time in the past. But he's now conditioned his mind to opponents doubling him that he's not sure how to react when they play him straight up.

I was just about to post something similar about Towns regarding his processing speed. He tends to try and force the issue and starts hunting shots as Jim Pete mentioned. This leads to those unnecessary offensive fouls.

I think he would benefit from adding a stop-and-pop mid-range game. He needs to learn he doesn't have to get all the way to the basket every time to be effective. However, it's still early in the season and he's still learning where he can be effective within the offense. We're not playing our best as a unit but still winning and that's very promising to see.

[Calinks]

Deeper looks at some of Towns defense at Golden State

Read on Twitter

[Kineto]

For the month of November (excluding the first 3 games), he is currently at 21.0 pts 9.0 reb 2.2 ast with 50/40/90 shooting.

[KGdaBom]

For the month of November (excluding the first 3 games), he is currently at 21.0 pts 9.0 reb 2.2 ast with 50/40/90 shooting.

What is he doing including the 1st three games? It's easy to find the stats you want when you can cherry pick them. However, he seems to have turned things around.

[BlacJacMac]

For the month of November (excluding the first 3 games), he is currently at 21.0 pts 9.0 reb 2.2 ast with 50/40/90 shooting.

What is he doing including the 1st three games? It's easy to find the stats you want when you can cherry pick them. However, he seems to have turned things around.

That would be his full season stats.

Its worded oddly, but he means excluding the 3 October games, not the first 3 November games.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

This is quite a story.

First, after many years in UTA Gobert is not anymore in top2 in contested shots. Right now he is not even in top10 in contested shots in NBA. Towns, McDaniels, Anderson and Reid they all share rim protection duties. Also sometimes Rudy is defending on perimeter.

Second, Towns size is a factor. When he is disciplined and plays under control his presence under the rim combined with overall defensive team talent makes difference.

I dont know where to find these numbers but I remember someone told that Towns has a very small number of fouls in defense, the large part of his fouls are offensive fouls. Once he keeps playing in zen mode he is a force in defense and offense.

[Klomp]

Still behind his “normal” pace, but the last three games have him back in the range where he finished last season after a very slow offensive start to the season.

[KGdaBom]

Still behind his “normal” pace, but the last three games have him back in the range where he finished last season after a very slow offensive start to the season.

I'm a person who really wishes all the success in the world to KAT. I know it's cool to hate on him, but I think he's a good person who despite all the fortune and fame has gone through some real tough things like losing his mother to Covid.

[shrink]

First, after many years in UTA Gobert is not anymore in top2 in contested shots. Right now he is not even in top10 in contested shots in NBA. Towns, McDaniels, Anderson and Reid they all share rim protection duties. Also sometimes Rudy is defending on perimeter.

Contests and blocks are stats that aren’t within a player’s control. You can only contest or block shots if the opponents tries to shoot.

Some people made a big deal last year of Kessler’s blocks being higher than Gobert’s (or Chet’s number this year), but I wasn’t surprised. Every player is going to drive on a rookie - they have to prove themselves before they get the respect (and to their credit, I think they are doing that). This year, when you watch Jason Tatum beat his man, get inside, and then immediately pass back out, and not even attempt a short shot against Gobert, I think you see how Rudy impacts the game without stats. People like me who have even a rudimentary understanding of analytics know that the most effective shots are three pointers and at the rim. Rudy causes more opponents to not take shots at the rim, and this is one of the main factors that have helped the Wolves keep so many opponents from even shooting 40% for the game.

[Klomp]

First, after many years in UTA Gobert is not anymore in top2 in contested shots. Right now he is not even in top10 in contested shots in NBA. Towns, McDaniels, Anderson and Reid they all share rim protection duties. Also sometimes Rudy is defending on perimeter.

Contests and blocks are stats that aren’t within a player’s control. You can only contest or block shots if the opponents tries to shoot.

Some people made a big deal last year of Kessler’s blocks being higher than Gobert’s (or Chet’s number this year), but I wasn’t surprised. Every player is going to drive on a rookie - they have to prove themselves before they get the respect (and to their credit, I think they are doing that). This year, when you watch Jason Tatum beat his man, get inside, and then immediately pass back out, and not even attempt a short shot against Gobert, I think you see how Rudy impacts the game without stats. People like me who have even a rudimentary understanding of analytics know that the most effective shots are three pointers and at the rim. Rudy causes more opponents to not take shots at the rim, and this is one of the main factors that have helped the Wolves keep so many opponents from even shooting 40% for the game.

Shawn Bradley averaged over 3.0 bpg in 9 of his first 10 years...people didn't respect him so they kept driving.

[shrink]

Shawn Bradley averaged over 3.0 bpg in 9 of his first 10 years...people didn't respect him so they kept driving.

Because ..they looked at Shawn Bradley. 7-6 white guy that looked like he weighed like a buck eighty.

Seriously though, back then big men could only get their points underneath. Now it seems like anyone can score from anywhere. And probably why we don’t have any Shawn Bradley’s left in the league. You got to do more now than “stand there and be tall.”

[TimberKat]

Shawn Bradley averaged over 3.0 bpg in 9 of his first 10 years...people didn't respect him so they kept driving.

Because ..they looked at Shawn Bradley. 7-1 white guy that looked like he weighed like a buck eighty.

Seriously though, back then big men could only get their points underneath. Now it seems like anyone can score from anywhere. And probably why we don’t have any Shawn Bradley’s left in the league. You got to do more now than “stand there and be tall.”

By that logic, Holmgren is going to have many blocks for many years

[andyhop]

Shawn Bradley averaged over 3.0 bpg in 9 of his first 10 years...people didn't respect him so they kept driving.

Because ..they looked at Shawn Bradley. 7-1 white guy that looked like he weighed like a buck eighty.

Seriously though, back then big men could only get their points underneath. Now it seems like anyone can score from anywhere. And probably why we don’t have any Shawn Bradley’s left in the league. You got to do more now than “stand there and be tall.”

By that logic, Holmgren is going to have many blocks for many years

He probably is, as every big man will think they can push him around inside given how skinny he is and give him lots of opportunities