The San Antonio Spurs are now just one win away from a Conference Finals return after routing the Minnesota Timberwolves, 126-97, in a pivotal Game 5 on Wednesday.
Returning from his ejection in Game 4 after incurring an F2, Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to victory once again with 27 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
“That’s what we’re supposed to do at home, we had to set the tone, we knew it was gonna be a physical game,” Wembanyama said postgame.
Spurs Now One Win Away From Western Conference Finals
Entering just their first playoff appearance in seven years, the Spurs now take a 3-2 series lead and lie just one win away from entering their first conference finals in almost a decade.
After Wembanyama’s ejection in Game 4, which ultimately contributed to San Antonio’s loss, the French big man marked his return in major fashion, notching 16 points in the first six minutes of the game alone.
De’Aaron Fox chipped in 18 points and 5 assists, while Keldon Johnson sparked the bench’s offense with 21 markers.
Despite committing 15 turnovers, the Spurs doubled down on their defensive prowess, notching 17 stocks as a team.
Wolves Struggle Offensively as Season Starts to Dim
With the loss, the Timberwolves now find themselves on the brink of elimination, returning to home floor in a do-or-die situation.
Minnesota struggled to find its stroke the entire game, shooting just 38% from the field and an abysmal 27% from deep.
Franchise star Anthony Edwards topscored for the Wolves once again with 20 points, while Julius Randle notched a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double.
The Spurs will look to finish the series, while the Wolves aim to force a sudden-death matchup in Game 6 on Saturday.
