Victor Wembanyama’s first NBA playoff run has been anything but smooth. The San Antonio Spurs returned to the postseason for the first time since 2019 and even advanced past the first round for the first time since 2017, but the French phenom entered Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals trailing 0-1 after a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs had not shown the same dominance as the Thunder, who remained undefeated in the playoffs on the other side of the bracket. Wembanyama also had a scare against the Trail Blazers that caused him to miss a game. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves howled louder than ever, aiming for something they had never achieved—and they delivered an elite performance against the Nuggets to seize home-court advantage from the Texans early.
In the first game, Wembanyama posted a triple-double with 11 points, 15 rebounds, and a playoff-record 12 blocks. Yet the Wolves won 102-104 and kept up the psychological warfare in press conferences, claiming many of his blocks were fouls. While that may have been true, the reality is that Chris Finch’s team plays its cards masterfully, even surprisingly bringing Anthony Edwards back from what seemed like a season-ending injury. The Wolves had reached the last two Western Conference finals and remained unbeaten at the Target Center, where they won all three games in the previous round. A bad omen for the Spurs, who needed a win in Minnesota to salvage the series. But first, they had to avoid an ignominious situation: going down 0-2 on the road, a hole from which few teams recover.
Game 2 turned into a blowout, with San Antonio winning 133-95. The Spurs dominated with a 69-46 run between the second and third quarters, leading by as many as 47 points. The Timberwolves suffered their worst playoff loss in franchise history, seemingly resting on their home-court advantage after the first win and relying on the Target Center crowd, taking a break from their high-intensity physical play. Edwards came off the bench again, finishing with 12 points, 0 assists, and 4 turnovers. Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Terrence Shannon all scored 12, while Naz Reid added 11 points on 3-of-4 from three. But no one truly showed up for Finch’s game plan, with their minds already on what lay ahead—a logical approach to some extent.
For the Spurs, everything clicked, and the decisive victory allowed for limited minutes across the board, including for Wembanyama, whose durability always invites questions. The Frenchman posted 19 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. He led a group of seven players in double figures, including 21 points from Stephon Castle, who went 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Rumors say Gregg Popovich joined the film session led by Mith Johnson after the first contest.
