2019 NBA MVP Watch: KAT for MVP?

Don’t look now but Karl-Anthony Towns is putting up MVP-like numbers through three games. KAT has the third-best scoring average in the NBA (32 ppg), the third-most rebounds per game (tied, 13.3), the most steals per game (2.7) and he’s shooting 51.7 percent from three-point range. Oh yeah, the most important thing: the T’wolves are 3-0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgYe2EBTScw

Since being drafted first overall in 2015, Towns is averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds per game and hitting three-balls at nearly a 40-percent clip. Yet, in his career, he’s made just one All-NBA team (’17-18, third team).

Minnesota’s record has definitely hampered his hype to a degree. The Timberwolves are 143-185 since KAT entered the league. 

Calling KAT my way-too-early MVP pick isn’t THAT much of a stretch, though. His scoring has always been elite, and it appears it could even improve this season.

The biggest question marks are, and have always been, the Timberwolves’ record and KAT’s defense. KAT finished No. 5 in Value Over Replacement Player last season but he had the lowest defensive win shares (3.2) in the top six. This year, that could be changing; according to Basketball-Reference, there are five players tied atop the defensive win shares metric so far this year and KAT is one of them. 

If the Timberwolves and Towns can continue their heater and Towns continues shooting as much as he has been this season — 20.1 FGA/game, a career-high — there’s no reason why KAT won’t be in the MVP race late in the season.

KAT started the season at +3000 to win the MVP.