NBA Rumors: Wolves star Karl-Anthony Towns expected to return for the playoffs?

NBA Rumors: After suffering a knee injury, Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to be reevaluated in a month and could be back for the start of the NBA Playoffs.

With less than 20 regular-season games remaining, the Minnesota Timberwolves have passed every test. From the eye test and from a statistical standpoint, the Wolves have been one of the best teams in the NBA. They currently rank No. 1 in the Western Conference standings and have their eye on making a deep run once the NBA Playoffs begin. However, if the Wolves are going to accomplish that, they have to survive, for a while, without Karl-Anthony Towns in the lineup.

KAT was diagnosed with a torn meniscus and is expected to undergo a procedure on his knee. He's expected to be reevaluated in a month. While there's no clear timeline on when he can return, there's hope it will be sooner rather than later.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, there's hope that KAT could be back early on in the NBA Playoffs. There are no specifics and that likely depends on how his knee looks in a month after the procedure, but the word "early" makes it seem as if he could return in the first-round series, or perhaps even before, for the Wolves.

What to expect from the Minnesota Timberwolves without KAT

Named as an All-Star this season, Towns was having another banner season for the Wolves and played a key part in the team's early-season success, averaging 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and three assists per game.

It'd be unfair to expect the Wolves to not miss a beat without KAT. A player that has been that productive this season is going to be missed. However, the Wolves might only have to survive a few weeks before reinforcements are back. But that's the big question for Minnesota heading into the playoffs.

The Wolves are likely going to finish as a top 4 seed in the Western Conference standings heading into the playoffs. What makes KAT's return all the more important is that no first-round matchup is going to be smooth sailing for the Wolves. Aside from the New Orleans Pelicans, I don't believe the Wolves would be strongly favored in a first-round series against the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, or even the Los Angeles Lakers or Golden State Warriors.

If the Wolves are going to make any noise in the Western Conference playoffs, or even make it out of the first round, they're going to need KAT back. And the good news for Minnesota is that there's hope that will be the case.