Grizzlies-Timberwolves Friday Matchup Postponed Due to COVID-19

Friday's game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves has been postponed, The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania reported. 

The league announced that it's due to contact tracing within the Minnesota program, leaving the team without the minimum eight players required to play. 

Timberwolves' star Karl-Anthony Towns, who has lost seven family members to COVID-19, announced on social media Friday evening that he too tested positive. 

"I pray every day that this nightmare of a virus will subside and I beg everyone to continue to take it seriously by taking all of the necessary precautions," Towns said in a statement. "...It breaks my heart that my family, and particularly my father and sister continue to suffer from the anxiety that comes along with this diagnosis as we know all too well what the end result could be. 

"To my niece and nephew, Jolani and Max, I promise you I will not end up in a box next to grandma and I will beat this." 

Wolves President of Basketball Ops., Gersson Rosas, said the organization has had two positive COVID-19 tests in the last two days and a single player is in the NBA's contact tracing protocols. 

This marks the 13th postponement for this season, just hours after the Wizards-Cavaliers games on Sunday and Monday were postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Washington program. 

People have continued to question whether the NBA should return to the bubble, and in response to the rising COVID-19 numbers, the league announced revised health and safety protocols.

The following new protocols were added to the existing list.

• Players cannot leave their hotel when on the road
• They will not be able to interact "with non-team guests at the hotel."
• Players are required to wear face masks on the bench at all times.
• Players must "avoid extended socializing" at games, limiting their pregame and postgame interactions to an elbow or first bump.