How the hiatus affects all 30 NBA teams

Minnesota Timberwolves: Gifting an opening for KAT and D-Lo

Remember when the Minnesota Timberwolves made their big trade at the deadline and everyone was hyped about Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell being on the same team? Well, that super-friend duo only got to play one game together, an 11-point loss to the Toronto Raptors back on Feb. 10.

A wrist injury has kept Towns sidelined since then, all but smothering the anticipation of watching these two play before the NBA hiatus snuffed everything out entirely. T-Wolves fans will have to wait a few months, but the good news is, as long as the regular season isn’t shortened too severely, they’ll get a hearty dose of KAT and D-Lo … before missing the playoffs for the 15th time in the last 16 seasons.

The coronavirus might leave the NBA with no say in the matter; depending on how long this quarantine period lasts, the league may have no choice but to jump right into the playoffs when basketball resumes. However, assuming the regular season isn’t completely nixed, this layover could provide a long-overdue look at how these two play together, even if it’s just for a handful of games.