After a rough start to the Western Conference Finals, Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves faced criticism for his lackluster performance against the Dallas Mavericks. However, in Game 4, Towns silenced his critics by finding his shooting touch and hitting crucial shots from beyond the arc to help the Timberwolves secure a much-needed win to stay alive in the series.
Despite his offensive resurgence, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was not impressed with Towns’ play in Dallas. Arenas took issue with Towns’ decision-making on the court, particularly in passing the ball to Rudy Gobert in low-post situations. Arenas criticized Towns for not taking advantage of his scoring ability and instead deferring to Gobert, who he deemed as a less effective post-up player.
While Towns may have won over some fans with his performance in Game 4, his defensive struggles continued to be a point of concern. Towns found himself in foul trouble once again, ultimately fouling out of the game. However, his offensive contributions were enough to help the Timberwolves secure a 105-100 victory over the Mavericks.
As the series heads back to Minnesota for Game 5, Towns will once again be a key player for the Timberwolves as they look to force a Game 6 back in Dallas. With the pressure on, Towns will need to continue his offensive resurgence and shore up his defensive play to keep Minnesota’s playoff hopes alive.