KAT Inspires Video-Game Comparison

Last season, the Timberwolves produced the 16th-ranked offense regarding offensive rating and the best defense regarding defensive rating. However, without Towns in the lineup, their offense rating sank to 20th, and their defensive rating slipped to fourth. 

Finch recalled what helped create more effortless looks for an offense that didn't hum efficiently for the 2023-24 season. 

"We used to call it the cheat code––a cheat code to great shots, great offense…His [Towns] ability to score at all levels and distort the floor…definitely definitely definitely a driver of great offense," Finch said. 

While the Timberwolves pick up the pieces left in Towns' absence, the Knicks benefit from having an offensively versatile center. They currently sit third, but at one point, they held the best offensive rating in the NBA. Meanwhile, their defense is middle-of-the-road production-wise. They rank 15th in defensive rating compared to their 10th-best defensive rating of the 2023-24 season. 

Without Mitchell Robinson in the lineup, Towns is the default starting center, doing his best to hold down the defense at the rim. Although such a fit isn't ideal for the offensive-focused-first center, he's leading the NBA in rebounds, showcasing he's more than a shooting big. 

Emotions will run high for Towns as he lines up against the team he played for nine seasons in front of a crowd that embraced him for as many years.