Karl-Anthony Towns back for Friday's game against Hawks

The All-Star is officially back in the lineup for Timberwolves.

Karl-Anthony Towns is officially back for the Timberwolves. 

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Towns will play in Friday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks at Target Center in Minneapolis. While reports surfaced on Thursday that Towns would return for Friday's game, he was officially listed as questionable on the Wolves' injury report.

Finch said there won’t be anything “significant” in terms of minutes restrictions and “we’ll have to wait and see” whether he will start or come off the bench against the Hawks on Friday. Towns was later listed in the starting lineup minutes before Friday's tipoff.

Towns was cleared for full-court, 5-on-5 action on Tuesday.

“He looks great. He’s looked really good all throughout. Now it’s just time to get him up to speed physically in a game,” Finch said. “There’s nothing that can replicate game fitness, so there’s no time like the present to do that.  And we’re lucky to be able to get him back ahead of schedule. All credit to him and his team of people working with him.”

Towns has been out since March 7 due to the meniscus injury and underwent surgery to repair it on March 12. Towns made his fourth All-Star Game appearance this season before going down with the injury and is averaging 22.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game on the year.

Towns’ quick return from the meniscus injury is a positive step for the Timberwolves, who are second in the Western Conference with the postseason picture beginning to take shape. Minnesota has one regular-season game remaining after Friday’s game against the Hawks, a home game against the Phoenix Suns at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.