Karl-Anthony Towns to make long-awaited return to lineup Friday vs. Pacers [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Jan. 17, 5:32 p.m. — Towns will return to the lineup Friday vs. the Pacers.

Towns will be back in the starting lineup against Indiana. With KAT back, we should see the offense go back to being focused on getting him the rock. Unless he’s on a minutes restriction, I’d think KAT is fine to roll out in season-long fantasy basketball. If he’s restricted, maybe be cautious, but he’s missed a lot of time and Towns is an All-Star. Gorgui Dieng may not be as good a play with Towns back, so Dieng may be worth dropping in season-long.

Minnesota Timberwolves C Karl-Anthony Towns will miss his 14th straight game Monday vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Towns had been dealing with a knee injury, but apparently now it’s an illness that has the big man sidelined. Either way, this doesn’t change much for the T-Wolves, since they’ve been operating without Towns for a while now. The matchup vs. the Thunder isn’t ideal, but Andrew Wiggins should see plenty of usage again. Robert Covington, Jarrett Culver and Gorgui Dieng are still viable plays as well.

The Thunder are only favored by 3.0 points on DraftKings Sportsbook on the road. Minnesota is 5-8 without Towns in the lineup during this stretch, so even at home, OKC is in a good spot with a short spread currently.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA) or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN) or 1-800-522-4700 (NH). NH/NJ/WV/IN/PA only. 21+ (18+ NH). Eligibility Restrictions Apply. See website for details.