The Timberwolves are now down five players after adding two more to the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Wolves down five players as Jarred Vanderbilt, Patrick Beverley go in COVID-19 protocols
The team was headed for Dallas to play the Mavericks on Tuesday after beating them at Target Center on Sunday night.
December 21, 2021 at 12:45AM
On Monday, Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley entered the protocols, the morning after the Wolves moved to .500 on the season with a 111-105 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center.
Both players started Sunday night. Vanderbilt, the team's second-leading rebounder this season, played 38 minutes and Beverley 30 as the Wolves (15-15) notched their fourth consecutive victory.
As part of a back-to-back situation, Minnesota has a game at Dallas on Tuesday night.
The Wolves found out shortly before Sunday's game that Josh Okogie would miss the game after presumably testing positive for COVID-19. Anthony Edwards, the team's second-leading scorer, and Taurean Prince were already out.
The Wolves will add 6-8 forward Chris Silva and 6-3 guard Rayjon Tucker on 10-day hardship exemption contracts. Silva, a former South Carolina standout who was at G League Iowa, played 55 games for Miami over the past two seasons, and was signed by Minnesota in September. Tucker, who has played 55 NBA games for Philadelphia and Utah over two seasons since entering the league undrafted out of Arkansas-Little Rock, was at G League Wisconsin.
Coach Chris Finch used nine players in Sunday night's game, although Leandro Bolmaro played only two minutes.
Two Wolves — Jake Layman and Jordan McLaughlin — did not play (coach's decision) and two-way players Nathan Knight and McKinley Wright were inactive because they had been transferred to the Iowa Wolves.
Beverley (8.7 points per game) is the team's fifth-leading scorer and second in assists (4.7). Vanderbilt averages 6.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
Towns earns weekly honor
Wolves center Karl-Anthony Towns was named Western Conference player of the week for the fifth time. Only Kevin Garnett (15) has won the award more times in team history.
The Wolves were 3-0 last week. Towns had 32 points in a Dec. 15 victory at Denver, 28 in a win Friday against the Lakers and 24 in Sunday's victory.
Boston's Jayson Tatum was Eastern Conference player of the week.
Coach Chris Finch said the team reviewed film of every Edwards play in clutch time this season, and he graded out fairly well.
