Charles Barkley rips Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns for lack of scoring vs. Nuggets: ‘He’s ruined his game’

The Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves in a 2-0 hole against the Denver Nuggets after a 122-113 loss in Game 2. 

While Anthony Edwards and Jamal Murray went toe-to-toe down the stretch, Karl-Anthony Towns struggled to make an impact in the game, recording just 10 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists on 3-of-12 shooting from the field, including 2-of-5 shooting from the 3-point line.

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After Towns followed a Game 1 performance of 11 points on 5-of-15 shooting with another quiet outing, TNT’s Charles Barkley was left unimpressed by the three-time All-Star’s inability to influence the result.

“If you’re the second-best player on a team you’ve got to play like it,” Barkley said. “Karl-Anthony Towns has more turnovers than made baskets. That’s not going to get it done.

Chuck sounds off on KAT’s Game 2 performance 👀 pic.twitter.com/Cjbq8Co2Qu

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 20, 2023

“Karl Anthony Towns should actually have an advantage size-wise, but he’s ruined his game in my opinion and just become a 3-point shooter,” Barkley continued.

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In a game where the Nuggets gave up 44 points in the paint, Towns was often relegated to the 3-point line, with Barkley maligning his reliance on shooting from beyond the arc.

“If you’re as big as he is, you’re going to have a size, height advantage every single night, but if you’re going to stand out on the perimeter, two things, you don’t get to the foul line and you don’t use your height, so it’s useless height.

“That’s what bothers me about his game. He’s one of the few guys in the NBA who’s going to have a height advantage every single night. There’s no player he’s going to play against that he’s going to have a height disadvantage but because he’s become a perimeter player, he don’t punish them when they go small, he just stands out there and shoots jumpers.”

Minnesota trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half before rallying in the third quarter to take the lead, but a back-and-forth final frame saw the Nuggets pull away.

Anthony Edwards led the comeback, scoring 14 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Towns’ fourth quarter shot chart paints quite the picture.

For Games 3 and 4, the series shifts to Minnesota, where Towns will hope to rediscover his form, especially from the 3-point line — Town shot 39.3 percent from 3 at home, a stark contrast from his 33.8 percent shooting on the road.

When is Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Game 3?

The series shifts to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4. Game 3 is on Friday, April 21 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Nuggets vs. Timberwolves schedule, TV channels

Here is the complete schedule for the first-round series between Denver and Minnesota:

*If necessary

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