Karl-Anthony Towns has referred to it on more than one occasion. It was a promise, one made nearly three years ago to Flip Saunders — and to a franchise and an entire community. He was going to help end the Timberwolves’ playoff drought.
On Tuesday, Towns and the Timberwolves (46-35) sat one game away from carrying that promise out. Minnesota needs one more win — a victory in what for all intents and purposes is a play-in game at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Denver (46-35) at Target Center — in the final contest of the regular season to secure its first postseason berth since 2004.
Towns wants it, and he wants it bad.
“It would be obviously the biggest moment of my career,” Towns said. “I’ve always wanted to be in the playoffs, always wanted to play playoff basketball.”
The fact he hasn’t done so even in his first two seasons seems to burn inside of him, much like the fact that he didn’t win an NCAA title in his one season at Kentucky. Itap all part of his competitive drive.
