The San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-95 to even their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece, handing Minnesota the worst postseason loss in franchise history, the report says. Victor Wembanyama finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds as San Antonio dominated from the outset.
Stephon Castle scored 21 and De’Aaron Fox added 16 for the Spurs, who shot 50% from the field and 41% from 3-point range, per the report. The 133 points marked the Spurs’ highest-scoring playoff game since a 145-105 victory over Denver on May 4, 1983, the report says.
For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. each had 12 points. Edwards came off the bench again as the Timberwolves continued to limit his minutes in his second game back from a hyperextended left knee, the report says.
Minnesota managed just 35 points in the first half and shot 29.8% from the field before halftime, going 2-for-15 on 3s as the Spurs built a sizable lead, the report says. After combining for 10-of-31 shooting in Game 1, Wembanyama and Fox improved to a combined 12-of-25 from the field in Game 2, and the All-Star duo scored the Spurs’ first 11 points as they pushed to a 29-point advantage in the first half.
San Antonio opened the game missing its first three shots before Wembanyama followed the third attempt with a right-handed dunk to get the scoring started. Rookie Carter Bryant had a two-handed dunk for his first points of the series, and back-to-back slams by Dylan Harper and Castle helped fuel an 11-0 run that grew the lead to 59-34; both teams had emptied their benches with about 10 minutes remaining and the Spurs ahead 104-66, the report says.
Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Friday and Sunday in Minneapolis, according to the report. The Spurs also enter the matchup having not lost consecutive games since mid-January, the report says.
