A smile is such a simple gesture, yet it holds so much power. It is innately human - a universal way to convey happiness, greet one another and signal that we're nice people. Smiles communicate how we're feeling and are great for breaking the ice or awkward moments. A good-natured smile moves mountains, but if you're like the average person, it may not be perfect. And that's okay. But is it healthy?
Studies from the CDC show that 1 in 4 U.S. adults from 20 to 64 have cavities. Perhaps even more surprising is that approximately 34 million school hours are lost every year due to emergency dental care. For children, missing time could mean the difference between moving forward and being held back.
If you're one of the many people who feel ashamed about their teeth, need preventative oral care, or suffer serious issues like tooth decay, it's time to protect your teeth and gums. Luckily, Merchants Walk Dental is here to serve you with the highest quality dental work in East Cobb, from preventative care to cosmetic dentistry.
At Merchants Walk Dental, your healthy teeth and gums are our passion. Our dentists and hygienists are committed to providing you with the best dental care possible in a comfortable, stress-free setting. Since opening in 2017, we have become the premier dentist in Atlanta, GA, offering many dental services such as:
As experts, we know how important oral hygiene is for your health. We feel that it's important to go the extra mile to speak with our patients about the best practices involved with brushing, flossing, and healthy gums. We know what an impact a beautiful smile can make, which is why we are so dedicated to providing our patients with cleaner, straighter teeth than ever before.
Having served Georgia and East Cobb for years, we understand that no two patients will ever have the same needs. That's why we provide personalized services like cleanings and root canals tailored to each patient's unique needs. We also know that money doesn't grow on trees, so we accept most major dental insurance plans to ensure you can keep your teeth clean and healthy all year long.
If you're searching for an expert team of friendly dentists and hygienists, look no further than Merchants Walk Dental. We pride ourselves on the best dental care coupled with warm, engaging customer service. You can rest easy knowing you're in capable, welcoming hands whether it's your first or fortieth visit to our office.
Here at Merchants Walk Dental, we understand that getting your teeth cleaned isn't something everyone looks forward to. However, getting regular teeth cleanings performed by a trustworthy dentist is the best way to maintain a healthy smile and avoid serious oral hygiene issues. And while it's easy to avoid the dentist, doing so for too long can be bad for your overall health.
Studies have linked poor oral hygiene to serious problems like cancer, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, and strokes. If you're flossing and brushing at home twice a day, that's great. Doing so is the best way to get a leg up on critical oral hygiene problems. However, getting your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist helps ensure your teeth are thoroughly cleaned, healthy, and protected.
It's a question we get all the time - what is periodontal treatment? This treatment focuses on your gums and preventing the common diseases that attack them. When left unchecked, plaque accumulates and hardens, forming hard-to-remove tartar. This tartar irritates your gums and will eventually lead to a litany of problems like tooth decay, tooth loss, and more.
During your teeth cleaning session at Merchants Walk Dental, we'll examine your gums closely to ensure they're healthy and functional.
Each of our teeth cleaning appointments has comprehensive check-ups, including:
The only surefire way to prevent tartar buildup and, by proxy, gum disease is by brushing and flossing diligently at home. If you have been slacking on regular brushing and have not visited a dentist recently, your gums could be suffering. If you have any of the following signs of gum disease, contact Merchants Walk Dental to schedule a dental exam in Atlanta, GA:
If you have had a cavity filled before, you're not alone. Tooth decay affects more than 90% of adults over the age of 40 - a stunning statistic that, in many cases, is entirely preventable. At Merchants Walk Dental, we use composite resin fillings to keep our patient's teeth healthy and functional. Unlike amalgam fillings, composite fillings are more discreet, match the color of your teeth, and are free of mercury.
While fillings can have a few uses, our doctors typically use fillings to “fill†a part of your tooth that is decaying. This hole of decay is called a cavity. Sometimes, fillings are also used to fix broken, cracked, or worn-down teeth from grinding and nail-biting. Fillings are a great way to restore decaying teeth to their normal shape and function while preventing sensitivity and inhibiting further decay.
During your dental exam at our office in East Cobb, your dental hygienist will check for signs of cavities and tooth decay to ensure your oral hygiene remains in peak condition.
Abscesses- Without professional dental treatment, infected teeth lead to dental abscesses, which can be fatal if left untreated.
Nerve Pain- When your tooth is cracked and left without treatment, it can make its way to your nerve, resulting in extreme pain and damage.
Substantial Decay- If you leave an infection to fester without having a root canal, the infection can spread to other teeth in your mouth. If you don't address the initial signs of decay, you'll have to undergo treatment for multiple teeth.
Tooth Loss- Extensive decay and trauma often cause damage to your tooth's pulp. Our root canal treatments in Atlanta remove this infected pulp. However, if you choose to ignore the problem, the infected pulp will rot your entire tooth, causing you to lose it forever.
One mention of the word root canal can send shivers up the spine for many people. Root canals get a bad rap, but the treatment has come a long way over the last decade.
When tooth decay and infection are left to fester, it can wreak havoc on your oral hygiene. Often, root canals in cityname, GA, are the best choice for patients with extensively diseased teeth. The goal of a root canal is to save and repair teeth by removing the infection from the pulp and nerve of the tooth.
Signs of tooth decay that may require a root canal include:
When a substantial cavity threatens a person's tooth and fillings aren't working, many dentists will use crowns to fix the problem. A crown is an aesthetic cap or a tooth-shaped covering placed over another tooth or implant for stability. Typically, crowns improve appearance and strength of a patient's teeth.
Crowns are also used to restore the size and shape of damaged or chipped teeth. When used for this purpose, dental crowns are usually bonded to the tooth using dental-grade cement.
During your dental exam and cleaning, your hygienist will keep a sharp eye out for signs of tooth decay, which may require a crown. Benefits of dental crows from Merchants Walk Dental include:
Restorative dental treatments can be complicated, but dental crowns are straightforward and minimally invasive. During the process, your tooth's enamel is cleaned, and your damaged tissue is removed. Once that process is complete, we'll cast a custom crown for your tooth. While the crown is created, Dr. John Bishara or Dr. Milli Patel will provide you with a temporary crown for normal functionality.
Damaged enamel or structural damage can cause pain and sensitivity. Having a dental crown installed will help alleviate a good amount of your pain.
Our dental crowns are made with high-quality, long-lasting materials. With proper care and regular check-ups, they can withstand years of chewing, biting, and grinding.
When you lose one or more teeth, whether due to decay or another factor, it's important to fill the space where the tooth is missing. That's where dental bridges come in. Bridges are essentially fake permanent teeth used to fill holes caused by missing teeth. The false tooth is fused between two dental crowns giving it the bridge concept. Dental bridges are then typically anchored to healthy teeth using resin and cement.
The health of your teeth, their position, and the state of the surrounding bone will help our team determine if bridges are right for you. If not, dentures in Atlanta, GA, might be a better option. Dentures come in two forms: partial and complete. Dentures are best for patients who have missing teeth but aren't able to use bridges. Complete dentures all your missing teeth, while partial dentures replace one or two teeth.
Getting cosmetic dentures can be a life-changing experience. It often requires physical and emotional preparation. At Merchants Walk Dental, our team will take as much time needed to consult with and prepare you for your denture procedure.
Whether you need dental bridges or cosmetic dentures, we're here to help make your experience as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Dental implants are needed when you have missing teeth, but you cannot or will not get crowns, bridges, or dentures. Failing to replace a lost tooth will cause a bevy of problems as time goes on. For many patients, dental implants are the best option for replacing missing teeth. With dental implants, you can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth. A dental implant serves as a permanent artificial root anchored into the jawbone.
When our team puts a dental implant in place, your jawbone grafts itself to the titanium post making it as strong as your original root and tooth. The result is a natural, beautiful, fully-functional set of teeth that lasts for years.
Establishing healthy dental habits early in life is key for long-term oral health and confidence. The best way to learn those habits is at home and in a dentist's office.
At Merchants Walk Dental, our goal is to foster long-lasting relationship with the families in our community who trust us to care for their children's dental health.
When you choose Merchants Walk Dental as your child's dentist, you can rest easy knowing we treat your loved one just like ours. Our professional hygienists and experienced doctors are trained and certified to give your kids a comfortable dental experience. We like to mix fun with education, putting your child at ease while helping them understand the importance of proper dental care.
Common habits like teeth grinding and thumb sucking can have profound effects later in life. Our doctors are keenly aware of these habits, and work hard to help you and your child develop creative solutions to halt that behavior.
Our pediatric dental services improve the health of your child's teeth and gums with:
Having served the East Cobb and Atlanta for years, we know your dental needs are unique and different from your neighbor. That's why we offer a variety of dental services to address each patient's special circumstances, from standard cleanings to complex root canals. By using the latest innovations and techniques in dentistry, we can better serve each client on an individualized level, leading to better comprehensive dental care.
We're taking new patients and accept most major forms of dental insurance to keep your teeth healthy and clean without breaking the bank. Contact our office today to schedule your dental exam and learn more about our history!
770-691-5051
Once upon a time, Eddie Goldman was an absolute wrecking ball on the Chicago Bears defensive line. Akiem Hicks once told me he was the key to the entire defensive front. Not Khalil Mack. Not Hicks. Eddie Goldman.Goldman was a load up front that needed constant double teams, helped collapse the pocket on passing downs and generally clogged up the middle forcing teams to bump runs to the outside.Goldman opted out from the COVID year in 2020 and when ...
Once upon a time, Eddie Goldman was an absolute wrecking ball on the Chicago Bears defensive line. Akiem Hicks once told me he was the key to the entire defensive front. Not Khalil Mack. Not Hicks. Eddie Goldman.
Goldman was a load up front that needed constant double teams, helped collapse the pocket on passing downs and generally clogged up the middle forcing teams to bump runs to the outside.
Goldman opted out from the COVID year in 2020 and when he returned to the Bears in 2021 he never quite found the same magic he had previously for the Bears’ defensive line. In 2021, Goldman had career lows in sacks, tackles (except for 2016 when he only played 6 games), tackles for loss and QB pressures. He was routinely handled by one-on-one blocks and at the end of the year, he and the Bears parted ways.
The GM that drafted him, Ryan Pace, helped bring Eddie Goldman to the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, but Goldman retired from the NFL just two weeks later.
After sitting out a year, Eddie Goldman has decided to restart his NFL career.
The #Falcons have reinstated DT Eddie Goldman from the reserve/retired list. He's back after announcing his retirement last year.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 21, 2023
It will be curious if the 29-year old Goldman has anything left in the tank. Was Goldman’s issues sitting out two of the last three years and struggling in 2021 a mental thing or a physical thing?
Many Bears fans may not remember, but Goldman suffered a concussion on the first defensive play of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in December of 2019. That concussion caused Goldman to miss the season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. It is possible that the concussion had lasting affects that caused Goldman to opt out in 2020 when the opportunity presented itself and perhaps played into why Goldman struggled in 2021. Goldman has suffered at least three concussions during his time in the NFL. Perhaps being several years removed at this point has Goldman ready to get back on the field.
Regardless, Goldman is set to return with the Falcons and see if he can provide the same impact he had with the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2019. It’s a win-win situation for Atlanta. For Goldman, it’s one last chance to extend his NFL career.
ATLANTA — An Atlanta man says his property was torn down by the city and then he was left with a massive bill.Now he wants to know how any demolition could possibly cost that much.It’s now an eyesore of a vacant lot on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in southwest Atlanta, but Andre Hadnot bought the building that ended up just sitting there with big dreams for a mixed-use redevelopment.The city of Atlanta then demolished the building.“What was it like the first time you saw this?” Channel 2 co...
ATLANTA — An Atlanta man says his property was torn down by the city and then he was left with a massive bill.
Now he wants to know how any demolition could possibly cost that much.
It’s now an eyesore of a vacant lot on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in southwest Atlanta, but Andre Hadnot bought the building that ended up just sitting there with big dreams for a mixed-use redevelopment.
The city of Atlanta then demolished the building.
“What was it like the first time you saw this?” Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray asked Hadnot about the rubble that is now left of the building he bought.
“I was wrecked,” Hadnot said. “This wasn’t just a building for us. This was our retirement.”
Code enforcement said the building was “found unfit for occupancy.”
“This was not abandoned property,” Gray asked Hadnot.
“No… It was not abandoned at all,” Hadnot said.
The even bigger concern now for Hadnot is the lien of the property for the cost of the demolition, which was nearly $700,000.
“I’m like, What? Where are they coming up with this price? You know, how is it this much money?” Hadnot said.
He told Gray that he originally purchased the property for $215,000 in 2017. The lien is more than $670,000.
“No one in the whole city thought, ‘Well, $700,000 is a lot of money to take a building down,’” Hadnot said. “I mean, people are telling me they could take out a whole complex it’s for $700,000.”
When Gray looked at two years of code enforcement invoices, he found the city paid for a total of 230 demolitions in 2021 and 2022. Only one of those demos was more expensive than Hadnot’s, but that was for this entire apartment complex demolished in April 2021.
“How does it cost $700,000 to tear down a two-story building?” Hadnot said.
Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Lewis is passionate about this issue because the city demolished his family home first purchased by his grandparents.
“I was just thinking about folks like me. So, to me, that was wealth that was taken,” Lewis said.
Lewis authored a bill this time last year that eight other city council members signed on to that would place a 60-day moratorium on demolitions to allow time for a full audit of the department.
That proposal hasn’t gone anywhere yet.
“This is us trying to open up the door to what’s going on behind the scenes,” Lewis said.
Lewis says he recognizes there are two problems here. He also hears from neighbors desperate to have vacant, abandoned buildings and homes demolished as well as people waiting for years for code enforcement to act.
“You call the city; you call the code enforcement. You hope that they’re giving you the best information they can,” Lewis said.
Daphne Talley runs Atlanta’s code enforcement division.
She told Gray that Hadnot was sent notice by certified mail about a hearing on the proposed demolition because of concerns the building would collapse and he was a no-show.
“Do you believe you gave him sufficient opportunity to prevent this?” Gray asked Hadnot.
“Absolutely,” Talley said. “Had that building collapsed, it would of collapsed on the public right of way, pedestrians possibly, or the buildings of either side of it.”
But what about that nearly $700,000 cost?
“Listen, we tell every property owner it is a lot cheaper if you bring your property into compliance whether you are going to renovate it, or demolition,” Talley said.
The city said the demolition of Hadnot’s building cost more because part of the demo had to be done by hand, but Talley also acknowledged that the city gets a bigger bill from contractors than the general public would.
“A single-family dwelling, it will probably cost you $5,000. it would cost the city $15,000. It is always going to cost more,” Talley said.
“Did you, you know, take a brick and individually blasted off into space? I mean, for $700,000?” Hadnot said.
Hadnot is now essentially stuck because of that nearly $700,000 lien on the property, so he has filed a lawsuit against the city over the demolition and that bill.
As for the inflated costs for the demolition of buildings, code enforcement said it has to do with the bidding and procurement rules and process the city has.
But those procedures are supposed to end up with the fairest price, not a more expensive one.
The 46th annual Jazz Fest is set to take place in Piedmont Park over Memorial Day weekend.ATLANTA — Mayor Andre Dickens announced the lineup Monday for Atlanta's 2023 Jazz Fest.The free festival includes three days of show-stopping performances with distinguished musicians and innovative emerging artists. The 46th annual Jazz Fest is set to take place in Piedmont Park over Memorial Day weekend. The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day....
The 46th annual Jazz Fest is set to take place in Piedmont Park over Memorial Day weekend.
ATLANTA — Mayor Andre Dickens announced the lineup Monday for Atlanta's 2023 Jazz Fest.
The free festival includes three days of show-stopping performances with distinguished musicians and innovative emerging artists. The 46th annual Jazz Fest is set to take place in Piedmont Park over Memorial Day weekend. The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.
"We are proud to host this sensational cultural event at Piedmont Park," Dickens said in a video announcement.
Dickens added there will also be a pre-jazz festival concert at Atlanta Symphony Hall on Friday, May 26.
"Whether you like sultry vocalists, contemporary, traditional, swing, fusion, or Latin Jazz, we have something for every jazz lover," Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Camille Russell Love said in a release.
Below is the full lineup.
1 p.m. Lakecia Benjamin – jazz, funk, and R&B saxophonist
3 p.m. Tony Hightower – vocalist
5 p.m. David Sanchez – Latin jazz saxophonist
7 p.m. Samara Joy – vocalist
9 p.m. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis
1 p.m. Sélène Saint-Aimé – afro-French bassist and vocalist
3 p.m. Brandee Younger – contemporary jazz, soul, and funk harpist
5 p.m. Javon Jackson and the Gospel according to Nikki Giovanni – poet and saxophonist
7 p.m. Jose James – hip-hop infused jazz vocalist
9 p.m. Stanley Clarke – jazz fusion bassist
1 p.m. Satya – singer/songwriter
3 p.m. James Francies – pop-influenced jazz pianist
5 p.m. Brenda Nicole Moorer – singer/songwriter
7 p.m. Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott) – trumpeter and jazz innovator
9 p.m. Ledisi – R&B and jazz vocalist
A hidden gem in the age of TikTok sounds like an exaggeration, but Minato in Smyrna might be the closest thing. Located off of Spring Road about a half mile from Truist Park, this sushi restaurant resides on the basement level of a strip mall with scant signage. Minato doesn’t face the street, instead, it’s around the back next to the Golf Depot. The Japanese character for Minato affixed to a stone facade reveals the entrance. Minato’s not on Facebook or Instagram, and it doesn’t have its own website. Diners typically...
A hidden gem in the age of TikTok sounds like an exaggeration, but Minato in Smyrna might be the closest thing. Located off of Spring Road about a half mile from Truist Park, this sushi restaurant resides on the basement level of a strip mall with scant signage. Minato doesn’t face the street, instead, it’s around the back next to the Golf Depot. The Japanese character for Minato affixed to a stone facade reveals the entrance. Minato’s not on Facebook or Instagram, and it doesn’t have its own website. Diners typically find out about the speakeasy-like, window-less restaurant through word-of-mouth.
Minato means “harbor” in Japanese, and it turns out to be a very fitting name for a restaurant that’s drawn in regulars for 33 years. “It means we carry the most fresh fish for the customers, and the customers feel they’re at home, too,” explains Pat Lee, one of Minato’s owners. The restaurant is also owned by Phillip Saetia, Kevin Chang, and Ming Chen.
Lee and her three co-owners worked at a sushi restaurant in Norcross when the opportunity to take over the Smyrna locale presented itself. They visited the space, which was already a sushi restaurant, and fell in love with it.
Besides the name change, Lee and her co-owners didn’t do much with the space. The eclectic decor that hearkens to the late ‘80s adds to the restaurant’s charm. Diners walk past a stone wall with figurines tucked into the crevices, while a pond with a dolphin sculpture anchors the sunken dining room. Wave cutouts in the wood panels behind the sushi bar, along with coastal tchotchkes like sea turtles and starfish, show off a nautical theme. Endearingly, family portraits and Christmas cards from diners plaster the entrance’s hallway. Some have dined at Minato for 33 years, says Lee. Many are grandparents now, and those younger generations are regulars, too.
Come for the kitsch and stay for the sushi. Minato works with five different fish suppliers, says Lee, so it’s always fresh. The “Super Crunch” roll is a crowd favorite among the 15 signature roll options, and a menu stalwart since the restaurant opened. Crispy shrimp tempura and a tempura cracker pack the inside, while raw tuna and salmon are draped around the exterior, along with a hearty drizzle of eel sauce. “When you eat it, it’s just a very nice, crunchy texture and good flavor in there. This is our most popular roll,” says Lee.
The restaurant does a pretty mean lunch business — though it was steadier before the pandemic, when people went to the office every day, says Lee —and it’s not unusual to see about eight chirashi bowls lining the sushi bar as the chefs prepare them for large groups. Slab-like pieces of fish, including salmon, shrimp, and tuna, are artfully arranged atop sticky rice along with crunchy crab salad and tomago (egg omelette). Stephanie Gerdes, an Atlanta resident and Minato regular since 2009, particularly enjoys this dish. “It’s got the sticky rice and then all the delicious fish and the little magic egg triangle,” she says. At about $20 per bowl, including a miso soup and green salad, “it’s seriously the best deal for lunch,” Gerdes adds.
Lee also takes pride in the restaurant’s Japanese dishes, including don buri (rice bowls), udon and soba noodles, and teriyaki dishes. Other restaurants might use commercial teriyaki sauce, she says, but Minato’s chefs “use all natural ingredients to cook for three hours” and make their own sauce. The sweet and tangy teriyaki pairs with several protein choices, including chicken, beef, and scallops.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Olivia | Atlanta Foodistagirl (@foodistagirl)
Off-menu items add to the restaurant’s mystique. The best known of the bunch may be the “Cowboy Hat:” a shrimp cracker topped with crunchy crab salad, adorned with a single deep-fried scallop, and a generous amount of eel sauce. It was Kevin Chang, one of the owners and sushi chefs, who created the treat after experimenting with the ingredients. He shared the 10-gallon hat doppelgänger with regulars and it was an instant hit. “The shrimp cracker is a nice flavor with the crab salad together,” says Lee. “It’s not too heavy too. It’s very light, fluffy, crunchy.”
The food isn’t the only thing that’s kept Minato open or three decades through downturns (and a pandemic). “I feel like it’s Cheers for sushi,” says Gerdes. Sit at the sushi bar during lunch and dinner services, and you’re likely to see the owners greeting regulars by name. “It’s got a family feel,” she adds. “Every time I go in, you end up talking to somebody else sitting around you.”
Open Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
2697 Spring Rd SE A, Smyrna, GA 30080
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Townscould both return as soon as Wednesday when the Wolves host the Atlanta Hawks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Edwards has misse...
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Townscould both return as soon as Wednesday when the Wolves host the Atlanta Hawks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Edwards has missed the team’s previous two games and change with a right ankle sprain he suffered in the first quarter of last Friday’s double-overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls. The team went 1-2 in those games, thanks to a heroic 35-point effort from Taurean Prince in a potentially season-saving win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
Because of course he did, Ant decided to tape his ankles before the Bulls game, which, according to our friend Chris Hine of the Star Tribune, is “something [Edwards] never does.” By doing so, Edwards probably avoided a much more serious ankle injury with resulting in missing significant time. But, he’s Anthony Edwards, so he may only end up missing 11 quarters instead.
The kid is hilarious, man. Just so happened to tape his ankles the night he turned his ankle worse than he ever has in his life, and may only miss a game or two.Only Anthony Edwards https://t.co/j0bg8HC1l2
— Canis Hoopus (@canishoopus) March 19, 2023
This is the day Wolves fans have been waiting on for a long, long time. Towns has missed the team’s last 52 games — in which the Timberwolves have stayed afloat thanks to a 26-26 record — due to a Grade 3 right calf strain, which usually take anywhere from 8-12 weeks to recover, barring a setback. Unfortunately, Towns told our friend Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic that he suffered “a major setback” in late January, which resulted in KAT going back to a boot and essentially reset his recovery process.
“It was obvious. You have a boot one day, then you’re out of a boot and now you’re back in a boot. That’s a setback,” he said, declining to say what specifically happened. “I think there will be a time and place to talk about that. But not right now.”
That directly disputes a statement from Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch, who on January 30 said that Towns did not suffer a setback.
Chris Finch there have been "no setbacks at all, all part of the process" when asked about Karl-Anthony Towns's calf injury after Towns posted a photo of himself on Sunday in a walking boot.
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) January 30, 2023
Towns told Krawczynski he felt both he and the team could’ve handled the communication process surrounding the injury better, as fans began to think he wasn’t doing everything he possibly could to get back on the court.
“I wish we communicated a little better so the fans didn’t have a false narrative that I was the one holding off,” Towns said. “I’ve never in all my years have I done anything remotely close to that. I want fans to know that.”
Wolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly was very complimentary of Towns’ work ethic during the rehab process.
“Karl has attacked rehab in a monster fashion. He’s been chomping at the bit,” Connelly told The Athletic. “It was a severe injury. It was his first soft-tissue injury. He and our medical and training staff deserve so much credit for making sure that when he gets back out there, he’s right.”
“We’re just really proud of how he’s approached rehab, and we’re extremely excited that his return is imminent,” Connelly said.
Later on in the piece, Towns said he felt his game hasn’t regressed and that he feels he can still be one of the best players in the world when he returns.
“I was just happy that I’m on the court, and I felt like I didn’t lose a step,” Towns said. “I’m still that great player and still know I’m him. I’m always going to be him.”
“I’ve been playing really, really well in those five-on-fives,” Towns said. “I’m super excited to get out there again and show the world what I do best, and that’s be an all-world player and be one of the best players I can possibly be.”
When he takes the floor, either as the last starter to hear his name called, or as the first player off the bench, the euphoric roar he receives from Target Center is going to be a moment we remember for a long, long time. I still get chills thinking about the reception Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier got last summer when she returned just 10.5 weeks after giving birth to her daughter Mila, and I can’t wait to have that same feeling when Towns is back in action.
KAT will provide much needed scoring and shooting that will help take the pressure off Edwards, who has carried one of the heaviest offensive loads in the entire NBA since Towns went down in on November 28. Now, Towns returns to play alongside an All-Star in Edwards for just the second time in his career (Jimmy Butler in 2017-18) — and the best supporting cast he’s ever had — with the opportunity to go on a run and secure a playoff spot for the second consecutive season.
The Timberwolves’ foundational duo went on a memorable run with Jaden McDaniels, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley last season. Now, with McDaniels, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, Kyle Anderson and Co., the Towns/Edwards duo is well-equipped not just to make the playoffs, but make some noise when they get there, health permitting.
Ever since the Wolves fell to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 of the first round last April, Timberwolves fans have been craving that intoxicating feeling of seeing their favorite team get after it in the playoffs. Now, they’ll get to see Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards back in the trenches together for the first time in four months, ready to fight and take this franchise to heights it hasn’t ascended to since 2004.
Buckle up.
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