MINNEAPOLIS (AP) \u2014 The Minnesota Timberwolves returned to the court after the postponement of their game against the Golden State Warriors the day before, the focus clearly distracted by a community in crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir group was suffering. The vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I\u2019ve ever been a part of,\u201d Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the 111-85 victory on Sunday<\/a>. \u201cYou could feel the somber atmosphere. Their team, you could tell they were struggling with everything that\u2019s been going on and what the city has been through.\u201d<\/p>\n Before the game, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch\u2019s voice cracked and faltered as the he expressed on behalf of the team a heartbreak for the community\u2019s collective fear and pain from the ongoing immigration crackdown, following the fatal shooting<\/a> of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a federal officer.<\/p>\n Finch presents a straightforward, no-nonsense approach in his public statements and rarely reveals much emotion, but he was clearly moved by the situation in Minneapolis. The game between the Timberwolves and Warriors was postponed by 24 hours<\/a>, after Pretti was killed on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m more than a resident. This is my home. I love living here. I love being a part of this community. I\u2019ve been embraced from day one. People have been amazing. It\u2019s sad to watch what is happening,\u201d said Finch, who was hired by the Timberwolves five years ago. \u201cOn the human level, certainly as somebody who takes great pride in being here, I know a lot of our players feel the same. They all love being here, and it\u2019s just hard to watch what we\u2019re going through.\u201d<\/p>\n Afterward, Finch called it a \u201cghost of a performance\u201d after his team\u2019s lowest final score in more than four years. Kerr said<\/a> he thought it was impossible for the fans and players to focus on the court.<\/p>\n \u201cThey came to the game to try to forget about stuff, I guess, but I don\u2019t think anything went away from the city and for their team,\u201d Kerr said.<\/p>\n The Timberwolves held a moment of silence<\/a> for Pretti prior to the national anthem, just as they did for Renee Good<\/a> before their game on Jan. 8, the day after she was fatally shot by a federal officer. The Trump administration in December launched what the Department of Homeland Security declared the largest immigration enforcement operation in history<\/a> and earlier this month announced a surge of more officers to push their force past 2,000.<\/p>\n The NBA announced Saturday that the rescheduling decision was made to \u201cprioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community\u201d after Pretti was killed during a confrontation in a commercial district less than 2 miles south of Target Center. Finch said on Sunday<\/a> that the Timberwolves pushed for the postponement to respect the public grieving process.<\/p>\n \u201cPlaying basketball just didn\u2019t feel like the right thing to do,\u201d Finch said, thanking the NBA and the Warriors for their support.<\/p>\n Warriors coach Steve Kerr, long one of the league\u2019s most outspoken coaches, was measured but clearly moved as he expressed his own sympathy<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has always been a great stop on the NBA tour. I love the city of Minneapolis. People here are wonderful, and it\u2019s very sad what\u2019s happening. I feel for the city. There\u2019s a pall that\u2019s been cast over the city. You can feel it. A lot of people are suffering, and obviously a loss of life is the No. 1 concern. Those families will never get their family members back,\u201d Kerr said.<\/p>\n Tens of thousands of people swarmed downtown Minneapolis on Friday in protest of the tactics and presence of immigration officers, a crowd the Warriors could see from their hotel as it moved toward Target Center. A smaller protest march took place downtown before the game Sunday.<\/p>\n Plenty of other voices were raised around the sports world on Sunday. <\/p>\n Women\u2019s basketball star Breanna Stewart held a sign with \u201cabolish ICE\u201d printed on it during introductions at her Unrivaled league game. Minnesota Frost fans during a PWHL game<\/a> chanted \u201cIce out now!\u201d The NBA Players Association issued a statement in support of the protests in Minnesota and urged its members to speak up. Former Timberwolves standout Karl-Anthony Towns posted on social media<\/a> his condolences for the families of Good and Pretti and said, \u201cThis moment demands that we reflect honestly on what our values truly are.\u201d<\/p>\n