Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns Implies Return is Near

it appears that center Karl-Anthony Towns will be back in the Timberwolves’ lineup soon, and just in time for the postseason.

Towns has been sidelined with a calf injury since Nov. 8, but if things continue to progress in a positive direction, he’ll return well in time for the playoffs or play-in tournament, he suggested to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

“I feel good there is a day (coming),” Towns said, via Krawczynski. “There’s a time. I’ve been in the darkness of the tunnel and trying to figure out where I’m going. It’s good to know that there’s some light at the end of the tunnel.”

Towns was initially expected to return four to six weeks after the initial diagnosis. But he suffered a setback in January. For much of the time since, he had to keep the leg elevated, he told Krawczynski.

“I was standing up for 20 minutes, and my leg was done,” he said. “That was my first time trying it. I was thinking I could do it, and there was no way.”

But sitting, watching and waiting admittedly hasn’t always been easy. Perhaps especially since Minnesota has looked better overall after acquiring point guard Mike Conley from the Jazz in February.

“I’ve been itching to play,” Towns said. “I’ve worked extremely hard to get to the moment to play. Setbacks happen. I couldn’t do it. I’ve wanted to play basketball so bad for so long.”

The Timberwolves (35-37) sat in ninth place in the Western Conference entering Monday’s road game vs. the Knicks.

Karl-Anthony Towns says he suffered a setback in January that prolonged his recovery but he is “feeling great in 5 on 5” work during practice and is "itching to play." https://t.co/QNFLrINSq2

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) March 20, 2023