MINNEAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� The San Antonio Spurs were well on their way to the Western Conference finals in the fourth quarter when Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards went down to their bench to briefly offer his congratulations.
The young Spurs left no doubt they’re already a serious title contender.
Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds to highlight another dominant performance from the backcourt, and Victor Wembanyama and the romped past the 139-109 on Friday night to finish in the second-round series in six games.
鈥淚 just tip my hat to them,鈥� Edwards said. 鈥淭hey were just the better team.鈥�
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs, who set their franchise postseason record for 3-pointers made by going 18 for 38. They will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.
鈥淥f course we鈥檙e confident, but we need to keep the right confidence level,鈥� Wembanyama said. 鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 not even thinking about it. I鈥檓 just thinking about recovering.鈥�
Wembanyama, who bounced back from his stunning ejection with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the blowout, was well-guarded by the Wolves in Game 6 and had a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. But he still served as a constant defensive deterrent in the paint, and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition whenever they had the opportunity to run 鈥� which was often.
The size, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were too much for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.
Castle made his first five 3-pointers and finished 11 for 16 from the floor. Fox was 3 for 3 from deep, and Julian Champagnie made four 3s among his 18 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Wolves by a whopping 97 points in the series and never once trailed by double digits. The Spurs breezed by Portland Trail in the first round.
鈥淚t shows that we already gained a little bit of experience from our short playoff time,” Wembanyama said. “I feel like we put ourselves in the best conditions, as simple as that.鈥�
Anthony Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got another spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense. Julius Randle had just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.
鈥淚t just felt like we kind of ran out of bullets as this series went on,鈥� coach Chris Finch said.
This no-show in the elimination game might鈥檝e felt familiar to Wolves fans, who鈥檝e otherwise enjoyed an unprecedented run of success in the playoffs over the last three years.
Minnesota trailed by 33 points at halftime in a 30-point loss at Oklahoma City in the in the Western Conference finals last year and were down by 29 points at the break to Dallas in losing the Western Conference finals in 2024 in a 21-point loss in .
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