Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a dislocation in his left wrist and must miss several games before being released to return.
No surgery is necessary, the team said on Sunday, and the organization is setting its schedule based on a weekly assessment. There is optimism that it will be a relatively short absence for Towns, sources told ESPN.
Towns had end-of-season surgery on his left wrist a year ago, but this injury is in a different location, sources said. He was evaluated by a hand specialist in Los Angeles, where the Timberwolves face the Lakers on Sunday and the Clippers on Tuesday.
Towns was knocked out to the ground, falling with his left hand, at the end of the Timberwolves’ victory over Utah on Saturday night. He left the court for the locker room, only to return later and re-enter the game as a “bait” that self-described in the final moments.
Towns was instrumental in getting Minnesota to a 2-0 start, averaging 22.6 points, 11.5 rebounds and five assists. The sophomore center, Naz Reid, will start on Sunday in the place of Towns.
“[Towns] it’s been really good for us, “said coach Ryan Saunders before the game.” So, we need other guys to fill those roles and replace Karl-Anthony Towns with an individual, you do it with a team effort and the same thing we always say when it comes to defending great players, doing everything as a team and that’s it that this group has done. “
Dave McMenamin of ESPN contributed to this report.