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The San Antonio Spurs are now one win away from reaching the NBA Western Conference finals after a commanding 126-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Victor Wembanyama, who had narrowly avoided suspension following his ejection in Game 4, took full advantage of his reprieve with a stellar performance. The 7ft 4in French star put up 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in a dominating display at both ends of the court.
Wembanyama set the tone early, scoring 16 points in the opening quarter as San Antonio surged to a 24-9 lead. His explosive start helped propel the Spurs to a comfortable 3-2 series lead, with the next game scheduled for Friday in Minneapolis.
“We did what we were supposed to do at home,” Wembanyama said in a post-game interview. “We had to set the tone, we knew it was going to be a physical game. We won, so that’s the point. But the job’s not finished. We’ve got one more game to get to the conference finals.”
While Wembanyama’s individual brilliance stole the spotlight, the Spurs’ collective effort proved crucial. Six players finished in double figures, with Keldon Johnson contributing 21 points, De’Aaron Fox adding 18, and point guard Stephon Castle chipping in 17.
Head coach Mitch Johnson praised his team’s overall performance, saying, “We played with the appropriate fear, discipline, execution, physicality, and poise, and we had it from an array of people tonight, and it was really good to see.”
Despite a strong third-quarter push from Minnesota, which tied the game at 61-61, San Antonio regained control and outscored the Timberwolves 35-24 in the final quarter. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch admitted that his team’s defence faltered late in the third, conceding 30 points in the final six minutes of the period.
“We went away from what was working,” Finch said. “Then the defense just cratered.”
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards led his team with 20 points, while Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle finished with 17 points each. However, Edwards acknowledged that Wembanyama’s early onslaught left Minnesota with few answers.
“Some of the stuff that Wemby was doing, you just don’t really have too much of an answer for it,” Edwards said. “Just kind of hope he misses.”
The Spurs now stand just one win away from securing a spot in the Western Conference finals, while Minnesota faces an uphill battle to force a Game 7.
