Gobert out for Wolves, placed in health and safety protocols

By BRIAN HALL
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rudy Gobert will miss the Minnesota Timberwolves’ game against Houston on Saturday after being placed in the league’s health and safety protocols.

Gobert played Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks with an illness, and the Timberwolves ruled him out Saturday afternoon for the game against Houston. Anthony Edwards, who was also listed with an illness on Friday, is not on the team’s injury report.

Minnesota coach Chris Finch said he wasn’t concerned about Gobert — whose positive test for the coronavirus triggered the halting of the NBA season in March 2020 — playing through an illness and then showing up in the protocols, which refer to a player dealing with COVID-19. Finch wasn’t sure how long Gobert would miss and deferred to the league’s regulations for Gobert’s return.

Gobert, in his first season after being acquired from Utah, is averaging 12.6 points and leads the league with 13.9 rebounds per game.

Finch said Naz Reid or Taurean Prince will start in Gobert’s place against the Rockets.

___

More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports