The Karl-Anthony Towns injury mystery: Back after the All-Star break?
It's been two months and three days since Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a significant right calf injury and there's still no timeline for his return. The Minnesota Timberwolves have not been forthcoming with information about the big man, leaving the public to wait and wonder when the self-proclaimed greatest big man shooter of all time will return.
After Towns posted a picture of himself wearing a boot on his right foot while watching his favorite NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles, on Sunday, there was speculation that he may have suffered a setback. But that's not the case.
"No setbacks at all. Just part of the process," head coach Chris Finch said Monday.
Towns wearing a boot isn't new at all. During his Twitch stream in mid-January he said he was wearing the boot and keeping his leg elevated, noting that he was staying off camera because "I just don't want to show all that stuff and everything."
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski originally said Towns was expected to miss 4-6 weeks after suffering the injury Nov. 28 against the Wizards. Towns, however, revealed on his stream that he suffered a Grade 3 calf strain, which is the most severe form of that kind of injury.
According to sports injury experts, a Grade 3 calf strain can result in a full rupture of muscle fibers and blood vessels in the calf and the recovery time is usually 8-12 weeks. Twelve weeks from Nov. 28 will be Feb. 20, which is smack-dab in the middle of the All-Star break.
"It would seem to indicate that if he's still in a boot right now, he's not close to returning to the court," said Timberwolves insider Jon Krawcyznski on his Monday episode of The Jon Krawczynski Show.
"It would seem to indicate that after All-Star break is probably a realistic timeline. But we're kind of left to guess right now because the team has not been very forthcoming about what he is going through and what his timeline is."
Minnesota has eight games before the All-Star break and then is off Feb. 17-23 before returning to action Feb. 24 against the Charlotte Hornets. Maybe we'll have more clarity about Towns' status by then, but for now all anyone can do is speculate.
