If there is anybody in the NBA world who understands the damage COVID-19 can do, it’s Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns. The Wolves star has lost multiple family members, including his mother, to the virus, and he even had it himself.
So when he saw Joel Embiid had come out on the other side of it on Saturday, he was happy to see him back out on the floor. Embiid was impressive, producing 42 points and 14 rebounds in over 45 minutes of playing time. But it was the Wolves who came away with a 121-120 double-overtime win.
Towns had 28 points on 11-for-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. Though he and Embiid have a history, he expressed how happy he was to see him out there.
“I told Embiid on the court as well, I am very happy that he’s come to the other side with COVID, because we have had our thing for a while, but that’s bigger than basketball, that’s bigger than what we have,” said Towns. “I’ve seen it kill people and I’m glad that he is on the other side. I am very, very happy that he’s doing well and he’s coming out on the other side and that he is healthy and he is getting himself back into basketball.”
The history that Towns is referring to is a brawl he and Embiid got into back in 2019, but the two are past that. This is bigger than what went down. The two big men are healthy and doing their thing in impressive ways.
“No matter how we have felt about each other at times in the past, I think he is a hell of a player,” Towns added. “I am happy that the NBA has him back because like I said I want to play against the best of the best, and he is one of the best so it makes me have to play better and it gives me a challenge.”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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