Who needs to step up for Timberwolves in Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence?

In the NBA, it’s never a challenge to find players who are willing to accept the added responsibility of taking more shots. That’s where the Timberwolves are in the wake of Karl-Anthony Towns’ torn meniscus, which will keep him out for at least four weeks after he has surgery. The Wolves will have to find a way to compensate for the 22.1 points on a true shooting percentage of 62.8%. True shooting percentage takes into account the value of threes and free throws.

Among high-volume offensive players, that is one of the most efficient numbers in the league. On Thursday, the Wolves got by with Anthony Edwards going berserk for 44 points on 35 shot attempts. That’s probably not sustainable on a nightly basis. Edwards will need help.

Here’s a look at some of the players and methods the Wolves might try to use to make up for what they’re missing from Towns.

Anderson got the start and closed Thursday’s close win against Indiana. Even though Anderson is a low-volume offensive player in terms of shooting (only 5.1 shot attempts per game), coach Chris Finch trusts him to help facilitate the offense because of his ball-handling skills and ability to play solid defense. Anderson has seemed more comfortable playing at the four spot than the three, which is where he has played a decent amount this season as the Wolves juggle Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid and Towns at the four and five.

Towns’ injury allows Anderson to slide to the four and play a role similar to what he had last season when he was one of the most important Wolves keeping them afloat while Towns was out with a right calf injury.

Anderson’s style contrasts with Towns’, but the Wolves have some muscle memory from last season with him in the starting lineup, plus he provides a steadiness in running the offense.

Reid is the natural candidate to replicate Towns’ offensive production. He’s capable of going on a heater in a way that few on the team can. Towns’ injury last season provided the opportunity for Reid to cement his place in the Wolves organization. Before the injury, Reid barely played. Towns went out, and Reid showed the Wolves they should never leave him out of the rotation again. That led to his new deal in free agency last offseason. He averaged 11.5 points in 18.4 minutes last season. He’s up to 12.3 points in 23 minutes this season while shooting a career-best 40.8% from three-point range.

It makes sense to continue bringing him off the bench, as Reid can be the primary scorer while Edwards rests. Otherwise, the Wolves may struggle to score with their second unit. What will be interesting is how Finch decides to close games. Right now, he likely will be content with Anderson, but if the Wolves struggle to score late in close games, perhaps Reid gets more run in those situations because of the scoring pop he brings.

If there’s a player who could take a significant jump in role with Towns out, it’s McDaniels, who has a usage rate of 15.3%, meaning that 15.3% of Wolves possessions have ended with a McDaniels shot, turnover or trip to the free-throw line when he is on the floor.

By comparison, Towns has a usage rate of 26.9%, and Edwards is at 31.6%. McDaniels didn’t see an uptick in shot attempts in the first game without Towns — he was 4-for-7 — but he had an efficient game with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. McDaniels’ scoring has been stagnant in his fourth year as he plays behind Towns and Edwards in the offense’s pecking order. Now is a chance for him to break out.

The Wolves need Conley to pick up his shot attempts. He is the team’s most efficient three-point shooter at 43.3%. The Wolves are going to need three-point volume with Towns out (he was attempting 5.3 threes per game), and they will need Conley to fill that gap in the starting lineup. If the Wolves are going to get through this stretch without Towns, Conley will have to be a little more selfish in hunting his own shot, especially in the sidestep dribble threes he is effective in creating for himself.