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INDIANAPOLIS  — Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns was ruled out of the game at Indiana on Thursday because of what the team listed as left knee soreness.

The Athletic and ESPN reported that Towns has a torn meniscus and was mulling options for treatment. The Timberwolves declined to confirm the reports.

The ninth-year forward has helped the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves thrive this season, averaging 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 42.3% from 3-point range. Towns has missed only one previous game to injury this season, for left knee soreness on Dec. 23.

He showed no obvious signs of trouble in Minnesota’s most recent game on Monday against Portland, but he played only 21 minutes, his second-lowest total of the season.

The absence of Towns will put more scoring burden on All-Star Anthony Edwards and also elevate the role off the bench of Naz Reid, who is the primary backup to Towns and center Rudy Gobert.