Slippery court conditions caused by unseasonably warm weather forced a rare postponement in the NBA on Monday as Minnesota's game with Portland was called off.
The Timberwolves court at Target Center in Minneapolis is situated above an ice rink, which had been used for a Disney spectacular at the weekend.
A rise in local temperatures on Monday caused a spike in humidity resulting in excessive condensation on the court — and potentially dangerous conditions for players.
"I want to apologize to our fans, and certainly to the Trail Blazers," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. "But certainly, the safety of the players has to come first. It's unfortunate, but it's the right thing to do."
Portland coach Terry Stotts said his players had voiced misgivings about the court conditions prior to the game during warm-ups.
Minnesota's players were also unhappy at the conditions.
"Play on a slippery court? That's like playing tennis in rain," Timberwolves rookie point guard Kris Dunn said.
Thibodeau said the decision to postpone was the right one.
"I knew when our players started warming up, they came back and said it was real slippery," Thibodeau said. "You can't take that chance. It was the right decision."
Minnesota and Portland are currently locked in a battle for the eighth seeding from the Western Conference, with the Blazers 26-36 and the Timberwolves just behind on 25-37.
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