San Antonio Spurs rout Minnesota Timberwolves to take 3-2 playoff lead
Victor Wembanyama produced a dominant 27-point performance as the San Antonio Spurs thrashed the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97 on Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead in their second-round playoff series.
The French sensation added 17 rebounds and three blocks to push his team within one victory of the Western Conference finals.
San Antonio will now have the opportunity to secure a series win when they travel to Minneapolis for Game 6 on Friday.
If successful, the five-time NBA champions will advance to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round.
Redemption for ejected star
Wembanyama entered the contest seeking atonement after receiving the first ejection of his professional career during Sunday’s defeat.
The 7-foot-4 centre was dismissed with a Flagrant 2 foul in Game 4 following an elbow to the throat of Naz Reid.
However, he responded emphatically by shooting 6-for-8 from the field to score 18 points in the opening quarter alone.
Tensions remain high in physical series
The combative nature of the matchup continued as Reid received a technical foul for shoving Wembanyama during a first-half free throw.
Despite trailing by 18 points early on, the Timberwolves fought back with a 14-2 run at the start of the third quarter to briefly level the contest.
Anthony Edwards finished as the top scorer for the visitors with 20 points, having been restricted to just eight before the interval.
Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels also contributed 17 points apiece for Minnesota, but it was not enough to halt a renewed San Antonio surge.
Supporting cast delivers for San Antonio
Keldon Johnson proved instrumental in restoring the home side’s double-digit advantage during the decisive third quarter.
The forward executed a crucial block on a Rudy Gobert dunk attempt before bullying Edwards under the rim for a short jumper.
Johnson finished the night with 21 points to complement the efforts of their towering talisman.
De’Aaron Fox added 18 points, while Stephon Castle contributed 17 points to complete a comprehensive team victory.