Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns is back after his bout with COVID-19, but the virus is still having an impact on him mentally.
Shortly before tipoff of the Timberwolves’ game against the Hornets on Friday, Charlotte scratched P.J. Washington due to health and safety protocols. The scratch came when the Timberwolves were warming up, and Towns admitted that he was left shaken by it.
Towns added that a halftime talk with his father helped calm him down.
Towns’ reaction is understandable when you consider what the virus has done to his loved ones in the last year. In addition, Friday’s game was only the second one back for Towns after his own bout with COVID-19.
The star center was able to recover enough mentally to post 25 points and eight rebounds in a 120-114 loss.
The last year has been life-changing for Towns, often in a negative way. It’s easy to see how he can lose focus on basketball at times given all the external circumstances going on around him.
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