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Watch: Karl-Anthony Towns lights it up in the third
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Karl-Anthony Towns lights it up in the third

Karl-Anthony Towns has been known to disappear in playoff games. He was very visible in the third quarter of Game 1.

Towns scored 11 points in the first 3:32 of the second half, keeping Minnesota close as Denver got buckets from each of its five starters.

Right as announcer Reggie Miller declared that Towns had to be more aggressive, he sank his second three-pointer of the game, starting the second half the same way he closed the first half.

He got two more points by sprinting down the court after a big Anthony Edwards block. Then Towns completed his 11-point flurry with a euro step and basket over Denver’s big Euro, Nikola Jokic.

After Edwards carried the offense for Minnesota with 25 first-half points, Towns put the team on his back for a furious three-and-a-half minutes. He also may have inspired Mike Conley’s offense to wake up, as the veteran guard also put up 11 points in the third while delivering four assists — three to Towns, and one for a big Naz Reid dunk.

With the Wolves going into the final quarter up 73-71, they may need another Towns explosion to steal Game 1.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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