In last season's playoffs, Timberwolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns often was left alone on a defensive island against league MVP Nikola Jokic in a first-round series Denver won in five games.
In Saturday's Game 1 victory over Phoenix at Target Center, Towns often was left alone to defend superstar Kevin Durant in a matchup of power forwards. Durant got his 31 points while teammates Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen were limited to a combined 11-for-29 shooting.
"It's fun when you get to compete against the best of the best," Towns said after practice Monday.