What Minnesota Timberwolves starters want for Christmas

Karl-Anthony Towns: Better free throw shooting

Karl-Anthony Towns is having a career year this season, and he deserves to be a part of the eventual MVP conversation.

With averages of 26.5 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from 3-point range, KAT has been dominating opponents through the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first 26 games, recording a double-double in 18 of his 23 games played.

There aren’t a whole lot of places for Towns to improve his game (even his defense, which has been a constant critique of his, has stepped up), but there is one: free throw shooting.

Towns is shooting 79.6 percent from the free throw line, a respectable number, but considering he’s going to the line four times per game on average, Towns could help the Timberwolves in close late game scenarios by bumping those numbers up above 85 percent.

Towns’ free throw struggles are a point that even he has brought up and Towns knows that that’s the next step to improving his game. Still, his level of play is almost above reproach and Towns would almost certainly be a perennial All-Star if he increases his free throw rate.