“He owes me 10 push-ups, and he knows it,” Karl Towns said.

As the Timberwolves continue to search for an offensive rhythm, Ricky Rubio, now one of the team’s more experienced players, said he was getting a better feel for where and when Karl-Anthony Towns wanted the ball. Rubio declined to offer specifics.

“Well,” Rubio said, “if I tell you, they’re going to start knowing, and then they’ll stop it.”

If nothing else, it is abundantly clear that Towns is comfortable handling the ball, and shooting it, from the perimeter. Even though Towns attempted just eight 3-pointers in his lone season at Kentucky, Sam Mitchell, the Timberwolves’ coach, said he knew that Towns was capable of developing a reliable outside shot before the team selected him in the draft.

“That’s one of the things that kind of swayed us in his direction,” Mitchell said.

A 7-footer who can stretch the floor has become an invaluable asset for N.B.A. teams. Consider the Knicks, who have benefited from the shot-making pyrotechnics of the 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis, another lottery pick from the most recent draft class.

The mere threat that Towns will launch from the outside is often enough to draw defenders away from the basket. That was evident in the third quarter against the Lakers. Towns was stationed just inside the 3-point arc when he received the ball. Sensing pressure from his defender, Towns whipped a one-handed bounce pass through traffic to Muhammad, who drew a foul.

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Towns had spent the first few weeks of the season largely operating in the post. Through his first 15 games, he attempted just six 3-pointers. But he was honing his mechanics in practice, far from public view, until he finally felt confident that he could make the shot consistently. The coaching staff let him loose. During a recent five-game stretch, he was 6 of 9 from the 3-point line.

“I always want to be working on the tricks in my bag,” Towns said. “I just wait to develop the trick fully and make sure it’s the best trick I can possibly use.”