The San Antonio Spurs cruised to a 127-96 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, led by Victor Wembanyama’s 27 points and 17 rebounds, reclaiming a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. The French center exploded out of the gate, scoring 16 points in the first six minutes and securing a double-double by halftime.
“We won, that’s the main thing, but we still need one more win to reach the conference finals. We had ups and downs in the second half, but we finished strong,” Wembanyama said courtside.
The game served as redemption for Wembanyama after his controversial ejection in Game 4, when he was handed a flagrant foul 2 for an elbow to Naz Reid. The NBA opted not to suspend or fine the rookie sensation, allowing him to play in this critical matchup. With his performance, Wembanyama became the third-youngest player to record a playoff game with at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, trailing only Magic Johnson and Luka Doncic.
The Timberwolves held the lead for just nine seconds early in the first quarter, going up 5-3 before Wembanyama took over. The Spurs built a 15-point advantage in the first quarter, but Minnesota fought back with a 17-4 run to cut the deficit to 28-26. In the second quarter, San Antonio pushed the lead to 18 before settling for a 69-57 halftime edge.
Out of the break, the Timberwolves erased the deficit with a 14-2 run, tying the game at 61-61 on a basket by Ayo Dosunmu. But Julian Champagnie responded with a three-pointer to spark a 30-12 Spurs run in the third quarter, restoring an 18-point lead. Minnesota mounted a late rally in the fourth, but San Antonio pushed the advantage to 30 in the closing minutes.
Keldon Johnson, the league’s Sixth Man of the Year, added 21 points for the Spurs. De’Aaron Fox contributed 18, Stephon Castle chipped in 17, and both Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell scored 12. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 20 points, while Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle each had 17, and Dosunmu added 16. Rudy Gobert, who dominated Nikola Jokic in the first round, was held to just four points.
The series now shifts back to Minnesota for Game 6 on Friday. The winner will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
