Chemistry developing between Ricky Rubio, Karl-Anthony Towns

One Timberwolves preseason game still remains, but already young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Ricky Rubio seem to have midseason understanding even before their team finishes up with Friday's finale against visiting Charlotte.

They displayed it in Wednesday's 101-94 victory over Memphis, a game in which the Wolves led by 40 points late in the third quarter.

When Rubio ran the floor, pushing the ball, Towns ran with him step-for-step until Towns often finished a play his point guard had started. Their collaboration allowed Towns to score 31 points in a mere 24 ½ minutes and it helped Rubio finish with a seven-assist night even though neither played the fourth quarter in a game that didn't end nearly as lopsided as it really was.

"He's special, everyone knows it," Rubio said. "We knew it since he came here last year as a rookie. Sometimes we forget he's 20. But what he does, it's just something special. He can really do a lot of things. You don't know his ceiling. It's fun to watch. It's fun to see his improvement in just one year, and it's scary. It's scary to think how far he can go."

With Towns running the floor and Rubio passing him the ball, Towns made seven of his 10 shots from the field and found perfection and abundance at the free-throw line, where he made all 17 shots.

Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau at Thursday's practice praised Rubio's play Wednesday and acknowledged Towns' unique combination of size and speed.

"Our athleticism and our young legs is one of our strengths," Thibodeau said. "The more we can get into the open and spread the floor, the tougher we will be to guard. That leads to the layups, the free throws and the open threes. Those are the shots we want."

Towns got his layups and free throws mostly against Grizzlies All-Star and former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol. It's a big-man matchup Towns last season called the most challenging of his rookie year.

"It's highly noted how much I respect his game," Towns said of Gasol, who is returning this season from a foot injury that limited him to 52 games last season.

After Wednesday's game, Towns was asked if he could ever remember having a night like 17-for-17 from the foul line.

"I definitely didn't do it in college, probably in high school," he said. "When I was in high school, I remember there was one game: We played East Brunswick [N.J.] and if I remember right, I went 24-for-24. So I guess that's good to have a big who can shoot free throws, huh?"

It's also good to have a 7-footer and his pass-first point guard showing such signs of connection as they displayed Wednesday.

"Our chemistry continues to grow," Towns said. "But I think we were at an all-time high last year and we're just transitioning it to this year by being smarter with each other as well now. We've always had a great relationship. I don't think it's blossomed over this summer, since we were already such great friends. It's just we've gotten so much smarter with each other.

"We know how each other works. We know the spots we like to be at and where I'll be. I think people saw on the court us talking to each other, just making sure we're on the same page at all times."

Etc.

• Forwards Andrew Wiggins (allergic reaction) and Shabazz Muhammad (hip soreness) participated in most of Thursday's practice after missing Wednesday's game. With the season opener this Wednesday, Thibodeau said "we're not going to take any chances" with both playing in Friday's preseason finale. "But if they can go, they'll go," Thibodeau said. "They also need work."

• The Wolves' final 15-man roster must be submitted by Monday, but they'll have to make at least two roster moves before then to allow time for the NBA's waiver process. Thibodeau said he and GM Scott Layden will evaluate the current 17-man roster that includes non-guaranteed Rasual Butler, John Lucas III and guaranteed Adreian Payne ($2 million) and scan the league for players available by trade or free-agent signing. "Everyone who's here is deserving, and they're capable of playing," he said. "But it will come down to doing what we feel is best for our team. Those decisions are always tough decisions."