Here in his ninth NBA season — playing for his fifth coach, failing three times to advance — former No. 1 overall draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns finally has reached the NBA playoffs' second round.
He and his teammates are there facing the defending champions in a Western Conference semifinals best-of-seven series that starts Saturday in Denver.
"It's only just right," Towns said Thursday. "Do it the Minnesota way: Take the toughest path to get to a championship."
It's a long time coming.
The Wolves had a losing record and missed the playoffs in five of his first six NBA seasons.