Finch: Still No Timeline For KAT, But In “Final Stages” Of Recovery

Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns is making progress in his recovery from a Grade 3 calf strain, with head coach Chris Finch referring to it as the “final stages,” but there’s still no official timeline for his return to action, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.

“He’s itching to play,” Finch said after practice Thursday. “I don’t think that it’s a question of anything like going off path right now. I think it’s just literally just going through the final stages of what that looks like.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to be, but talking to him, I definitely sense more so than any other conversation I’ve had with him up until this point that he’s chomping at the bit to get back and ready to help this team when that time comes.”

Finch went on to say Minnesota wouldn’t rush Towns back until he’s fully healthy, per Hine.

“For sure it’s getting short,” Finch said, referring to the fact that the Wolves only have 21 regular season games left. “But I couldn’t put a marker on when [his return] is. I just know mentally he’s there. You’ll have to ask him this, but I don’t get a sense that he’s at a place where he feels like he’s held back by anything unnecessarily. I think he feels like he’s just finishing off the process.”

Towns has been out since November 28 with the injury and has missed the team’s past 40 games. He was averaging 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and a career-high 5.3 assists per game through 21 contests at the start of the season (33.8 MPG).

According to Hine, veteran point guard Mike Conley, who was acquired for D’Angelo Russell at the trade deadline, has already noticed multiple areas of improvement for trying to close out games. Conley says the Wolves force too many turnovers when opponents are making runs, and Finch agrees.

“We’re not going to make every shot … So when we don’t make shots, what can we run?” Conley said. “How can we get to the free-throw line and not turn it over. Those things that we’re all capable of doing individually. Guys can get better at decision-making. Guys can get better at giving guys the ball and getting back in urgency on defense late in games.”