Minneapolis (St. Paul Pioneer Press)– Over the past seven seasons, a Karl-Anthony Towns absence has all but guaranteed a Minnesota Timberwolves’ defeat.

That’s not to say Minnesota has been great with the big man on the floor; the Wolves have won 44.5% of their games with Towns. But that number dips to 26.5% when he’s off the floor. Of the 64 games Towns has missed in his career, Minnesota has only won 17.

In that sense, Tuesday’s news that Towns is sidelined “indefinitely” with the right calf strain he suffered in the third quarter of Monday’s loss to the Wizards would appear to be a major hit to Minnesota’s chances of success during the 2022-23 season. The Timberwolves said Tuesday that Towns will be re-evaluated in “several weeks.”

A source confirmed multiple media reports that the hope is Towns could return to action in the next four to six weeks — a timeline that would see Towns back on the floor sometime in January — but that’s not a guarantee.

Regardless of his exact return date, Minnesota, currently on a three-game losing skid, now must find a way to dig itself out of its current rut without one of its best players.