Timberwolves vs. Spurs: Series Tied 1-1 After San Antonio's Dominant Game 2 Win
The Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs are tied 1-1 in their Western Conference semifinals series following a 133-95 victory by the Spurs in Game 2.
Game 1: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102
The series opened on Monday at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio with a nail-biter that gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead.
Game Summary
- Minnesota held a narrow 104-102 lead in the final seconds.
- Spurs forward Julian Champagnie missed a three-point shot at the buzzer to tie or win the game.
- No timeouts were called by either coach in the final minute. With 34.4 seconds left, Minnesota’s inbounds pass was stolen, leading to a layup for San Antonio.
Player Performances
- Julius Randle (Minnesota): Led the Timberwolves with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
- Anthony Edwards (Minnesota): Returned from a left knee injury (bone bruise) and played 25 minutes off the bench, scoring 18 points (including 11 in the fourth quarter). He shot 8 of 13 from the field.
- Terrence Shannon Jr. (Minnesota): Started in place of Edwards, contributing 16 points and 5 rebounds.
- Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio): Recorded 12 blocks, setting a new NBA postseason single-game record (previously held by Andrew Bynum, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Mark Eaton, who each had 10). He also had 11 points and 15 rebounds, but shot 5 of 17 from the field, including 0 of 8 from three-point range.
- Rudy Gobert (Minnesota): Had 7 points and 10 rebounds.
- Stephon Castle (San Antonio): Fouled out of the game.
- De'Aaron Fox (San Antonio): Scored 10 points on 5-for-14 shooting with 6 turnovers and 6 assists.
Series Context
- Minnesota, the No. 6 seed, defeated the No. 2 seed Spurs in Game 1.
- Donte DiVincenzo (Minnesota) was out for the entire series.
- Ayo Dosunmu (Minnesota) was listed as questionable for Game 1.
- The total points in the game went over the betting line.
- The Timberwolves made 12 of 21 free throws, while the Spurs made 16 of 18.
Coach's Comment on Officiating
Following Game 1, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch publicly questioned whether several of Victor Wembanyama’s 12 blocks were goaltends. Finch stated that after review, he believed at least four blocks should have been called goaltending.
Game 2: Spurs 133, Timberwolves 95
The Spurs responded with a decisive victory on Wednesday to even the series.
Game Summary
- The Spurs took an early lead, forcing turnovers on Minnesota’s first three possessions and establishing a strong paint presence.
- San Antonio outrebounded Minnesota 55-43 and led the Timberwolves by 22 points in paint scoring and 24 points on fast-break points.
- Minnesota committed 22 turnovers, shot 39.8% from the field, and made 16 of 31 free throws.
Player Performances
- Stephon Castle (San Antonio): Led all scorers with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
- Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio): Recorded 19 points and 15 rebounds.
- De'Aaron Fox (San Antonio): Contributed 16 points and 2 assists.
- Dylan Harper (San Antonio): Added 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench.
- Anthony Edwards (Minnesota): Played 24 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, with 0 assists and 4 turnovers.
- Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Terrence Shannon Jr. (Minnesota): Each tied for the Timberwolves scoring lead with 12 points.
Coach's Comments
- Spurs coach Mitch Johnson described the team’s start as having "appropriate urgency."
- Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after the game, "We just got punked."
Team and Series Context
- All five Spurs starters scored in double figures before the fourth quarter.
- The Spurs had not lost consecutive games since January.
- Ayo Dosunmu left Game 2 early due to heel pain.
Looking Ahead
- Series Status: Tied 1-1.
- Game 3: Scheduled for Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video in Minnesota.
- Injury Notes: Anthony Edwards’ status for Game 3 is subject to monitoring of his knees.