Several key players from the Minnesota Timberwolves have entered the NBA's health and safety protocols. Now, Minnesota's franchise star will head to the list. Karl-Anthony Towns becomes the team's seventh player to enter health and safety protocols.
Towns enters protocols for Minnesota https://t.co/8xXCIhlZBV
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 23, 2021
Towns had previously missed just one of Minnesota's games this year, averaging a team-leading 24.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. He had been on a tear as of late and had been the main reason the Wolves were able to keep up a four-game winning streak after Anthony Edwards, the team's second-leading scorer, headed into protocols.
COVID-19 is an immensely sore subject for Towns, as he lost eight of his family members, including his mother, to the virus. He contracted the virus himself in January and opened up about the COVID-related struggles he has lived with since then. Through it all, he has shown tremendous emotional strength. Having him sidelined again because of the virus is very sad news for him and his team.
Without Towns and Edwards, the Timberwolves could really begin to fall in the Western Conference standings. D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley are the only players to average double digits in points per game that are active. Minnesota may also opt to sign a player with the NBA's hardship exemption rule in order to boost their depth until they get their main players back.
The Timberwolves will have to find a way to survive without Towns for an unspecified amount of time. The team is currently ninth in the conference after losing six of their last 10 games. Minnesota is scheduled to face the Utah Jazz tonight.
Follow Us
Subscribe