Wet floors postponed an NBA game for the second time this season.
Monday night’s Portland Trail Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves fell through after humidity issues caused by ice under the court made the Target Center floor too slick for professional basketball.
Damian Lillard flatly said before the game that the floor wasn’t safe enough for the game to be held.
Lillard: Court "ain't in condition to play" #RipCity pic.twitter.com/vbfxpworYf
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) March 7, 2017
Reporters at the game said about an hour beforehand that the contest was still scheduled to be played, despite the issues with humidity.
"We are planning on playing," Brad Ruiter, Minnesota VP of Communications.
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) March 7, 2017
Both teams cut their pregame warmups short as crews dealt with moisture buildup, especially near the 3-point lines. Fans were allowed inside the seating bowl and crews hoped the humidity could be reduced. A few minutes before the game was scheduled to tip, however, players were leaving the arena for the night.
Ricky Rubio and Karl-Anthony Towns are leaving the arena. Blazers and Timberwolves postponned.
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) March 7, 2017
Unlike earlier this season in Philadelphia, where the NHL’s Flyers play, Target Center doesn’t have ice most of the year. That means, presumably, that the crew managing the arena has less experience dealing with ice under an NBA court.
The problem here is simple: warm weather conditions outside make it harder to keep good ice, even when it’s kept frozen underneath. It’s a complicated system, and not something Target Center always deals with. But with Disney On Ice last night and a hockey tournament coming up after this game, they have to work with what they have. When it’s warm, however, in-arena humidity can create problems like this.
Much like the Kings Twitter account back when their game against the Sixers got banged, Blazers Twitter had some fun with the situation as well.
*twiddles thumbs*
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 7, 2017
The account had a bit of time to get this graphic ready, which they unleashed once it became official.
Welp. See ya later! pic.twitter.com/6llPFzfrdE
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 7, 2017
No makeup dates were immediately announced. Maybe both teams can go outside and enjoy the unseasonably warm March weather in Minnesota. They won’t be playing basketball, so they’ll have plenty of time.