Rick Adelman Will Miss Timberwolves' Game vs. Hawks for Personal Reasons

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman will not be courtside at his team’s game tonight against the Atlanta Hawks due to personal reasons. 

NBA.com reported the news and noted that assistant coach Terry Porter will fill in for Adelman.

UPDATE: Saturday, Jan. 12 at 2:58 p.m. ET by Tyler Conway

According to the Star Tribune's Jerry Zgoda, Adelman will likely be away from the team for the Timberwolves' final two games of their current road trip. Per Zgoda, doctors need to run more tests on his ailing wife:

"

Porter also says Adelman likely won't coach either of this trip's final 2 games, says Adelman is staying in Minn for more tests for his wife

— Jerry Zgoda(@JerryZgoda) January 12, 2013"

Here's to hoping those results come back with good news and Adelman can return to the bench for Minnesota.

---End of Update---

The exact reasons for the veteran coach’s absence are undisclosed, but, according to CBS Sports' Zach Harper, the matter has kept him away from the team since Monday’s practice.

Harper also notes that Porter has taken over head coaching duties when Adelman has been absent in the past. He has been a head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns.

The Timberwolves are 15-15 heading into this game and just received disconcerting news regarding a recent injury to star power forward Kevin Love. The Associated Press (via ESPN) reported recently that general manager David Kahn expects to be without his best player for “a number of weeks” after Love broke his hand for the second time this season.

The Hawks are 20-12 and have played surprisingly well this season after trading away Joe Johnson in the offseason. This contest was already going to be hard to win for the Timberwolves, and it just became harder without Adelman.

But the news in Minnesota is not all negative heading into tonight’s game at the Target Center. The Star-Tribune’s Kent Youngblood reports that Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic—who have both been dealing with injuries—are expected to be on the court tonight.

The Timberwolves will need players to step up on the court and in the locker room without their head coach and star player.