In wake of shooting, Timberwolves postpone game with Nets

Shortly after the Twins postponed their game Monday, the Timberwolves did the same for their game with the Nets at Target Center.

There was no immediate announcement of a makeup date but it could be as soon as Tuesday, with both the Nets and Wolves having that as a scheduled off day. The Wolves are next scheduled to play the Bucks at Target Center on Wednesday.

The Wolves joined the Twins and Wild in postponing their games after the shooting death of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center on Sunday as Gov. Tim Walz issued a 7 p.m. curfew that affects Minneapolis and St. Paul.

"Yesterday's tragic event, involving the life of Daunte Wright, once again leaves our community mourning," the team said in a statement. "After consultation with the League, and local and state officials, we believe postponing tonight's game vs. the Brooklyn Nets is the best decision. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx extend our sincere sympathies to the family of Daunte Wright."

Monday was supposed to be the day prospective new owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore attended their first game after agreeing with Glen Taylor on an exclusive letter of intent to purchase the team. Instead, they met with President Gersson Rosas, staff and players, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve and her staff, along with touring the facilities.

If the Wolves had played Monday, they would have been without center Karl-Anthony Towns, who was going to miss the game for personal reasons. Towns was going to be with family for a memorial service to commemorate the anniversary of mother Jacqueline's death from COVID-19. That anniversary is Tuesday. The Wolves honored Jacqueline Towns at Sunday's game with a moment of silence and a photo reel before the game while Towns' father, Karl Sr., sat courtside.

Towns took to social media to say "This has to stop" while posting a photo of Wright and his son, Daunte Jr. Jarred Vanderbilt posted the same photo to his Instagram account with the words, "Devastating. Sick of it." Josh Okogie posted "RIP Daunte Wright" on his Twitter account.

The team was vocal in its response to the death of George Floyd on social media and in the community. The team held three separate voter registration drives in Minneapolis and St. Paul, worked closely with organizations committed to addressing social injustice and was discussing how to respond to Wright's death.

Those discussions were led by director of security Tony Adams, a former Minneapolis police officer, and Tru Pettigrew, vice president of player programs/diversity and inclusion. Pettigrew has worked at building connections between communities and police.

Patrick Reusse contributed to this report.