Overshadowed in the chaos and drama that have existed in Minnesota for most of the last 11½ years, since Kevin Garnett was traded to the Celtics, is that Timberwolves franchise player Karl-Anthony Towns has yet to miss a game.

Towns has played in all 287 games since being the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft, leading by example, picking up his lunch pail and battling the league’s big men on a nightly basis. However, he has been constantly criticized because the Timberwolves have not made their expected ascension, and the organization just went through another coach.

Former Celtics assistant and Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau was fired by the Timberwolves last Sunday, moments after his team’s 22-point win over the Lakers.

Ryan Saunders, the 32-year-old son of former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders, was named interim coach for the rest of the season. It’s uncertain in what direction the Timberwolves are headed. It seems they have tried every remedy to become a Western Conference power following the departure of Garnett, the greatest player in franchise history.

Towns has felt the pressure to lead the Timberwolves back to prosperity, and although he has averaged double figures in points and rebounds in each of his first four seasons, has reached the All-Star Game, and is one of the league’s top offensive centers, he continues to be criticized.

That criticism was at its greatest with the presence of Jimmy Butler, who was acquired by Thibodeau to be the final piece to get the Timberwolves into Western Conference contention. It never worked out that way. The Timberwolves lost to the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs last season, Butler demanded a trade in the summer and then made things uncomfortable for the organization, until Thibodeau finally moved the All-Star to Philadelphia in November.

The organization essentially blamed Thibodeau for the Butler situation because he pushed to acquire him, sacrificing Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and the rights to Lauri Markkanen to get Butler from the Bulls.

When the Butler situation backfired, Thibodeau’s creditability with owner Glen Taylor was damaged.

Still, the Timberwolves have talent. Andrew Wiggins, as mercurial as he may be, has the skills to be an All-Star, although his heart and passion have been questioned. Towns, who has averaged 26.3 points and 13.5 rebounds this month, is a handful for defenses, with the ability to score in the paint and shoot from outside. But he does it quietly, and there are those who believe he too willingly relinquished the leadership role to Butler, who in turn criticized Towns and Wiggins for a lack of fire.

“I’ve always embraced [leadership], but it’s different ways you do it,’’ Towns said. “Leadership is not always about how loud you speak and how much roar you’re putting in out there in your voice. You’ve got to lead by example. I’ve chosen to lead in a different way throughout these years. I’ve led by example. I’ve led through my play. I’ve led through my durability. I’ve led different ways.

“Obviously, now I was given an opportunity to do more this year, and just trying to run with it and make the best of it. I’ve been used to leading for more of my career. I’ve won a lot. I know how it feels to lose. So I’m not afraid of the moment and I’m going to go out there and have fun every night. I’m going to make sure these guys have fun, too. Fun is winning. We’ve got to do the little things every single night.’’

To Towns, the numbers mean nothing. The double-doubles are nice, but the Timberwolves continue to toil in mediocrity. They entered Friday 2½ games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

“I’m just trying to win,’’ said Towns. “I’ll take the record over any of the statistics. I just want to win. For me it’s about making sure I do everything I can to help us win. Just trying to bring that energy every night, trying to make it as contagious as possible and try to win a game. Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] has won rings, so if I could have my name next to his rings and wins, that means more than making a few baskets and getting a few boards.’’

Towns understands that the criticism comes from losing. When the Timberwolves drafted him No. 1 a year after acquiring Wiggins from Cleveland in the Kevin Love trade, the duo was expected to lead the Timberwolves to the playoffs annually, especially after Minnesota acquired a third piece in Butler.

But chemistry and consistency have long been an issue. If the Timberwolves score, they can’t defend. If they defend, they can’t score. There have been stretches where Wiggins disappears and Towns is passive.

“It’s about winning and when you win, everyone seems to give you more credit. You lose, everyone wants to bring you down. It’s simple,’’ Towns said. “That’s how it’s always been since we’ve been young. If I can find a way to get wins for my team, everyone looks good.’’

What Towns is trying to convey with his play is unselfishness, and despite being accused of thinking too much about his statistics, the former University of Kentucky standout strives to be a better all-around player and claims to be misunderstood.

“I’ve always been counted as a shooter since I came into the league,’’ he said. “I think people have read me wrong for a lot of years. I’ve always wanted to be a facilitator. It’s always been where my game is. Shooting is just a product of what I can do. But I’ve always been a pass-first guy.

“The game will tell you how [being a facilitator] is going to go. Recently, that’s how the game has been going. I’m just trying to feed contagious energy to everybody throughout my play and hopefully have it rub off.’’

What’s undeniable about Towns is his polished skill set, and he attributes becoming a better fundamental player to the Celtics’ Al Horford. As a 14-year-old, Towns worked out with a then-23-year-old Horford, who was a second-year forward with the Hawks.

They have formed a close friendship over the years.

“I love playing against Al. He’s a mentor of mine,’’ Towns said. “He really showed me how it was to be a pro first. So I always give a lot of my professional experience to him because he’s the one who gave me so much. We had a whole summer, just literally being under his wing, learning exactly what he does every single day from a diet standpoint to stretching to every little thing. I’m thankful he not only showed me the way but he didn’t hide any little thing from me. He gave me a full repertoire of moves and a lot of experience to go along, so I thank him for that.’’

Horford is considered one of the better all-around big men in the league because of his ability to shoot from the 3-point line and midrange, finish at the rim, and facilitate the offense. The two worked on the basics, with Horford stressing to the teenage Towns to master his jump shot.

“We spent a whole day together just shooting midrange shots,’’ Towns said. “When you’re young, especially the age we live in, everyone is looking for the highlight, everybody is looking for the high-flying dunks and the 3-ball and all these crazy handles, and me and Al are in there doing what I’ve always been doing but now we’re taking it to another level, just super fundamental work. Midrange shots and the right way to shoot a righthanded hook instead of using so much athleticism and all these little things. It’s a big part of my game to this day.’’

The last skill Towns picked up from Horford was the ability to become a “point center.’’ With so much defensive focus on Towns, he said he made it a priority to become a better passer, like Horford.

“He’s really good. I’ve learned the way he’s seen [defensive] coverages,’’ Towns said. “I’ve always been a facilitator since I was young. I started as a guard first. I’ve always been used to getting everyone going. It’s just something I have whenever I need, and lately I’ve been able to use more of my facilitating skills.’’

etc.

Doncic’s star on the rise in Dallas

For the second consecutive week, Dallas rookie Luka Doncic is second among Western Conference forwards in All-Star voting, about 550,000 votes behind the Lakers’ LeBron James. Barring a dip in votes, Doncic is likely to play in his first All-Star Game next month in Charlotte, N.C., just months after there were doubts as to whether he would make a positive transition to the NBA.

Doncic, who turns 20 in February, is averaging 19.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists for the Mavericks, erasing any questions about his NBA readiness. What’s more, Doncic has become one of the more intriguing players in the league because of his ability to play three or four positions.

His success comes as little surprise to Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, who said Doncic’s years of playing high-level EuroLeague games prepared him for this moment.

“He’s gotten better with everything. When you’ve got 37 games into the season, you’ve got a lot of games under your belt. A lot of opportunities to play against great players, different defenses, you’re going to learn, adapt. He’s done very well,’’ Carlisle said. “He’s handled all that stuff well. He’s playing with teammates that are easy to play with, that complement him and vice versa. He’s not a typical rookie because he’s been playing professionally for four or five years. So the adjustments, relative to seeing teams for the second time, probably aren’t as abrupt as they would be for younger kids just coming out of college.’’

The Mavericks made a draft-day trade with the Hawks to acquire the rights to Doncic for Trae Young and a 2019 first-round pick. Young also has had a breakout season, but it has paled in comparison to Doncic’s impact.

“He’s been a very good player overseas for quite a while,’’ Carlisle said. “He dominated over there, so it was just a matter of getting a deal done to get him drafted, get him here, and have him start playing with his teammates. He’s done very good things, that’s obvious. The more he sees the more he experiences, the better he gets.’’

Doncic has averaged 21 points for the playoff-contending Mavericks since the beginning of December. He was a EuroLeague phenom, playing with Real Madrid at age 16, but there were questions about his NBA potential because of past flameouts by players from overseas.

Not only has Doncic produced for a team that needed another scorer with the decline of Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks needed a maturing leader.

“He’s a guy that has fun playing, loves playing with his teammates,’’ Carlisle said. “He’s done a lot of very good things. The schedule is much busier. He gets tired on back-to-backs and things like that, but he’s held up well considering all that stuff, and I think a lot of it has to do with the experience with Real Madrid and playing in a lot of high-level national games and highly pressurized situations. All that stuff prepares you for this.’’

The acclaim has been stunning. Doncic wowed the TD Garden crowd recently with some of his long-range shots, including a buzzer-beater off the glass to end the first half against the Celtics. His surge in All-Star votes is not just a byproduct of his popularity. Doncic is a true talent.

“I saw the list so I was just surprised. I thought it was amazing. I was the happiest guy in the world right there,’’ Doncic said. “After [seeing the voting] I think it’s a possibility, but everyone dreams to be there. When I was a kid, I dreamed about being able to play in the NBA and now I have the possibility to be in the All-Star Game, so it’s a dream.’’

Of course, Doncic said he never imagined the attention he has received since joining the NBA. He’s still a teenager, but his transition has served as a lesson to those NBA teams who have doubted European prospects because of the failures of their predecessors.

“I mean, for sure it wasn’t easy,’’ Doncic said. “The NBA has to realize there are more players than just American players. [Giannis] Antetokounmpo. [Nikola] Jokic. [Kristaps] Porzingis. They’re having a great year. I think we showed we can play in this league. It’s not easy. It’s a lot of work. A lot of preparation. In Europe, there’s a lot of contact in the game. Of course, it helped because I played against a lot of ex-NBA players and a lot of good European players.’’

Layups

Chandler Parsons’s four-year, $94 million deal with the Grizzlies could turn into one of the most regrettable contracts in franchise history. General manager Chris Wallace essentially told Parsons to stay away from the team as it tries to reach a settlement for the final two years of the deal. Parsons has been injured frequently, and his desire to play questioned by many former and current players and executives. Now. despite Parsons claiming he’s healthy, Wallace has told him the team no longer wants him. The Grizzlies wanted Parsons, who has been felled with knee issues for years, to play for the Memphis Hustle of the G-League while they figured out a plan. Parsons refused. Teams would take a chance on Parsons, a floor-stretching swingman when healthy, for a minimum deal. The Celtics, once upon a time, held an interest in him, but it could be weeks or even months before this situation is resolved. Parsons joins Carmelo Anthony (Rockets) as players told to stay away from their teams until a deal can be worked out. The Parsons situation is a cautionary tale for teams about throwing money away on often-injured players or those who have reputations of being unable to play through pain. What’s more, those four-year packages tossed about during the summer of 2016 — Parsons, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Timofey Mozgov, Ian Mahinmi, Allen Crabbe, Evan Turner — are all proving to be regrettable or questionable. It wasn’t the finest moment for NBA general managers . . . The Rockets traded Hamilton native Michael Carter-Williams to Chicago to reduce luxury taxes. The Bulls, one of his former teams, immediately waived him, leaving Carter-Williams as a free agent. It’s been difficult for Carter-Williams since he was named Rookie of the Year with the 76ers in 2013-14. He was traded to Milwaukee and has made stops in Chicago, Charlotte, and Houston. The issue is Carter-Williams plays point guard, but he’s not good enough to earn minutes as a backup and he has never shot well enough to challenge defenses. During their playoff series with the Celtics two years ago, the Bulls were desperate for a point guard with Rajon Rondo out with a broken hand. Carter-Williams was used briefly by coach Fred Hoiberg before being benched for the rest of the series. Chicago was forced to use Isaiah Canaan and lost the series in six games.

Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @GwashburnGlobe. Material from interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.