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A14 sports
Saturday 23 april 2022
Down Towns: T-wolves need lift in mood, production from star

By DAVE CAMPBELL has a whistle go against
AP Sports Writer him instead of drawing the
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl- foul and getting to the line.
Anthony Towns has long Perhaps he just needs more
stated his contentment time on the NBA’s biggest
with contributing in a vari- stage. Including the play-in
ety of ways to Minnesota’s game, Towns has only nine
game, even if he’s not tak- postseason games on his
ing — or making — many resume. The Timberwolves
shots. are 3-6 in those games.
The problem for Towns and “KAT is the main piece of
the Timberwolves is the what we try to go on here.
three-time All-Star center Obviously, when he’s in foul
also has stymied their suc- trouble, it doesn’t help us,”
cess at times. teammate Patrick Beverley
In four postseason games, said.
including the play-in tour- In fairness to Towns, the rest
nament victory that gave of the Timberwolves were a
the Wolves the No. 7 seed letdown too.
in the Western Conference When the Grizzlies were
and this first-round match- making their runs, the
up with Memphis, Towns guards missed too many
has 19 fouls. outside shots. Towns had
He spent 3:56 on the bench Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns complains about a call to referee James five of the team’s 11 blocks,
in the first half of the fourth Capers (19) during the second half in Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff a franchise playoff-game
series against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Minneapolis.
quarter in Game 3 on Thurs- Associated Press record, but the Grizzlies did
day night after picking plenty of damage in the
up his fifth foul, the stretch to work through the adver- court suggested otherwise. opponent in the post com- paint when he wasn’t in
when the Grizzlies complet- sity, honestly. That’s really The previous two seasons plementing the skill to pass there. He also simply didn’t
ed their comeback from a it.” were a wash for Towns, in out of trouble to a team- get the ball enough, as evi-
25-point late-third-quarter Each time Towns was pulled light of the heartbreaking mate on a squad that led denced by his paltry total
deficit and took the lead after a foul, he brought a death of his mother from the NBA with an average of four field-goal attempts.
for good. They won 104-95 dark cloud of bad body COVID-19, his own difficult of 14.8 made 3-pointers “Next question,” Towns
to take a 2-1 lead in the se- language with him to the bout with the virus and mul- during the regular sea- snapped when asked
ries. bench. His teammates are tiple injuries to boot. More son. Then there’s his own about the lack of touches.
“We’re talking to him,” often quick to encourage roster churn and another outside shooting prowess, He elaborated on the art of
coach Chris Finch said. “It’s him or lend an ear to his change in coaches, from proven anew when he won playing through the double
the offensive fouls that re- venting about the officiat- his confidant Ryan Saun- the 3-point contest during teams a little later in his in-
ally are hurting us more ing, but in the seventh year ders to the outsider Finch, the All-Star weekend skills terview session.
than anything else. Those of his career he ought to added another layer of showcase. The Grizzlies put Kyle An-
are the ones we’ve got to be well past letting frustra- complexity. Too often, though, Towns derson on him to start the
clean up.” tion compound itself into This season has been so lets his emotions overshad- game and just might stick
Towns had three offen- another mistake. much smoother, with the ow his talent. with that.
sive fouls in Game 3, twice His postgame answer to best chemistry the team Sometimes, he seems to “Just trying to really take on
when he was setting a high a question about keep- has had since Towns en- be overcorrecting for past the challenge,” Anderson
screen. ing team spirits high in the tered the league as the first criticisms of him being too said. “Just use my length
“Even crashing from the wake of a devastating loss pick in the 2015 draft. soft on the court, whether with him, try to force him
outside, I’ve stopped that — “go home, drink some He has shown an increased directing a taunting glare to the basket where I have
just to possibly take any wine, and move on” — of- awareness in the post, with at the man guarding him help and things like that.
idea of giving me a foul fered a sanguine perspec- the determination to con- following a dunk or going Just try to make it hard on
out,” Towns said. “Just got tive. His demeanor on the fidently attack a smaller so hard at the basket he him.”q

MLS All-Star Game to pit league stars

against LIGA MX

Major League Soccer’s All- last year before MLS pre- tives for the passionate soc-
Star Game will again pit the vailed on penalty kicks. cer fans of the region.”
league’s best against their “Our partnership with LIGA The match will be broad-
counterparts from Mexico’s MX has brought out the cast by ESPN and Univision
LIGA MX. best in both leagues on in the United States.
The game is set for Aug. and off the field, and I have MLS will also introduce ini-
10 at Allianz Field, home no doubt the intensity will tiatives to reduce the en-
of Minnesota United. The be even higher for the re- vironmental impact of the
festivities that week will match in Minnesota,” MLS game, with a portion of the
include a concert head- Commissioner Don Garber ticket proceeds allocated
lined by Khalid and a skills said in a statement. “Be- to sustainability efforts in
Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Zac MacMath (18) receives a goal
by New York City FC forward Valentin Castellanos (11) in the challenge, the league an- yond the game, All-Star the local community. Other
second half of an MLS soccer match at Yankee Stadium, nounced Thursday. Week will celebrate our programs surrounding the
Sunday, April 17, 2022, in New York. The MLS and LIGA MX All- sport with a series of cul- game will emphasize eq-
Associated Press Stars played to a 1-1 draw tural and community initia- uity and inclusion.q