Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns: Shines as facilitator in return

Towns (knee) posted 11 points (4-11 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight assists, five rebounds and one block across 28 minutes Friday in the Timberwolves' 109-106 win over the Hawks.

Towns made his return to the lineup for the first time since March 4 after a five-plus-week recovery from surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee. The Timberwolves didn't announce heading into Friday's game that Towns would be on a specific minutes restriction, but he ended up seeing more playing time than some might have expected in his return from a major injury. Though Towns' shooting was off the mark in his return, his eight assists matched his season high. The Timberwolves are currently tied with the Thunder and Nuggets atop the Western Conference standings, so expect Towns to take on more minutes in Sunday's regular-season finale with the Suns while Minnesota remains in a battle for the No. 1 seed.