Towns positive for COVID; Grizzlies-Wolves postponed

Karl-Anthony Towns took to Twitter to announce he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Karl-Anthony Towns tests positive for COVID-19; Grizzlies-Timberwolves game postponed

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jan 15, 2021 7:02 PM ET

No. 13 really is unlucky for the NBA in this instance.

The NBA has announced that Friday's game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves scheduled to take place at Target Center has been postponed because the Timberwolves cannot dress the required league-minimum of eight healthy and available players.

This brings the total number of games called off in the past week to 12. In total, the NBA has postponed 13 contests since the season tipped off on Dec. 22.

Shortly after the NBA confirmed the news, Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns took to Twitter to announce he has tested positive for the coronavirus:

pic.twitter.com/bk0tzC6jiV
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) January 15, 2021

Back in December, Towns explained that seven relatives, including his mother, have died due to complications linked with COVID-19.

The Washington Wizards have been idle since notching a 128-107 win over the Phoenix Suns this past Monday because of a coronavirus outbreak within their squad. Washington won't return to action until a Wednesday showdown with the Charlotte Hornets at the earliest.

Also on Friday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the NBA and National Basketball Players Association are moving toward expanding rosters to help prevent postponements as teams lose starters and backups to positive tests and subsequent contact tracing protocols.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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