Karl-Anthony Towns was in the passenger seat on his way to meet the Minnesota Timberwolves at the airport when a semitruck slammed into the back of the vehicle at what he estimated was between 35 and 45 mph.
As soon as the medical exam confirmed the injuries were minor, the two-time All-Star center quickly began thinking about whether he could still join his team in time for the next game. He knew he was fortunate, though, to have escaped the crash at all.
"I'd say I had a 5 percent chance of making it out alive," Towns said Monday before Minnesota's game against Sacramento. He added: "I probably should not have made it out like I did, but I'm glad I did."
As are the Timberwolves, of course, and his family.
"You obviously want to make sure KAT the person is taken care of," coach Ryan Saunders said, confirming that Towns would play against the Kings. "That's definitely put ahead of KAT the basketball player."
Assistant strength and conditioning coach Kurt Joseph was driving Thursday when he had to make a hard stop on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis to account for an accident in front of them. Towns said he recalled Joseph looking "stone-faced" while remarking that the semitruck he saw in the rearview mirror was not slowing down.
"If I don't have that seatbelt," Towns told reporters , "I'm going right through the windshield."
Towns declined an ambulance ride at the scene. He acknowledged downplaying the doctor's advice upon departure from the hospital to take it easy, immediately contacting the Timberwolves about a commercial itinerary that could get him to New York in time to play Friday against the Knicks. Towns called his sister with the news, opting to send his parents a text message to avoid exposure to their anxiety about his condition.
He exhibited some concussion-like symptoms, so per league protocol, Towns was held out of that game and again Saturday at Milwaukee. That ended his streak of 303 consecutive games started, the longest to start an NBA career since 1970-71.
Being present at the arena was ultimately more important to Towns than resting on his own.
"I'm not a guy to stay back to watch them work. I want to be there in person. I want to high-five them coming off the court. I want to scream for them. I want to do everything I possibly can to be the best cheerleader I can possibly be," Towns said.
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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.
They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.
Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.
76ERS 125, KNICKS 114
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.
With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.
The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.
Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.
NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..
Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.
Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.
Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.
Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
