Coming off a win in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Spurs battled the Minnesota Timberwolves for his or her closing assembly of the season. After a sluggish first quarter, the Spurs’ offense exploded within the second, outscoring the Wolves 48-22. Holding a 25-point lead, the Wolves responded within the third quarter by outscoring the Spurs 40-27, and trailed the silver and black by 12 getting into the fourth. Minnesota’s momentum continued as Anthony Edwards dropped 26 of his 55 factors within the fourth quarter alone. In the meantime, the Spurs combated Edwards with Victor Wembanyama. Round 3:28 remaining, Edwards and Wemby traded clutch buckets a number of occasions. Anytime Edwards gave the Wolves the lead, Wemby would tie it up. With a two-point lead with slightly over a minute remaining, Donte DiVincenzo drained a go-ahead three-pointer to provide the Wolves a one-point lead. Wemby responded by splashing a go-ahead mid-range jumper to provide the Spurs again the lead. After Wemby blocked Joan Beringer’s shot on the rim, Keldon Johnson nailed a dagger three to provide the Spurs a four-point lead with 17 seconds left. Then, issues received fascinating. After Wemby missed a technical foul free-throw, Edwards drained a stepback three to chop the result in one. De’Aaron Fox was fouled, made each of his free throws, and fouled Edwards whereas up by three. Edwards made the primary, missed the second, and Julian Champagnie secured the rebound whereas being fouled.. Simply to make issues extra dramatic, Julian missed each free throws, however Wemby saved the day with a key offensive rebound. After getting fouled, Wemby made the primary free-throw, however was referred to as for a lane violation after making an attempt to overlook the second. Edwards missed a half-court shot, and the Spurs gained 126-123.
Victor Wembanyama led the way in which with 39 factors (12-23 FG, 11-14 FT), 9 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. It has been some time since Wemby final performed no less than half-hour in a sport, however he performed 31 in opposition to the Wolves. Milwaukee was only the start, however this sport has Spurs followers reminiscing on his monster video games, particularly the season opener versus Dallas. Not solely was he dropping buckets from in every single place on the courtroom, however he was dropping CLUTCH buckets. He additionally had a clutch block and a clutch rebound. Merely put, this man can do the whole lot.
Wemby dime! On the fastbreak, Wemby lasers the ball to Champagnie, who finishes with a two-handed slam! Julian completed with seven factors, 5 rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Pulling out all of the strikes! Wemby pulls out a spin transfer right into a eurostep and right into a floater! How?!
UNREAL WEMBY SEQUENCE! Late within the second, Wemby goes on a scorching streak and drains three straight bombs from three-point land!
UNGUARDABLE! Wemby makes use of his persistence and drives his means into the paint and throws it in over Jaylen Clark!
UNREAL HOOPS SEQUENCE! With Edwards on fireplace, Wemby responds every time with a bucket of his personal!
CLUTCH ON BOTH ENDS! After giving the Spurs the lead again with a mid-range jumper, Wemby blocks Beringer’s reverse layup on the rim!
GAME! Wemby stands above all and grabs the rebound off the missed free throw to seal the sport!
Right here’s one other angle! How do you field him out?!
De’Aaron Fox dropped a double-double: 25 factors (10-17 FG, 3-4 FT) and 12 assists to go together with three rebounds and a block. D-Fox splashed pictures from in every single place on the courtroom: middies, threes, floaters, layups, and dunks. Since Stephon Fort was coping with foul bother, D-Fox assumed the first guard position and dropped dimes. After being Batman in Sacramento, video games like this present he may be additional comfy being Robin.
Lay it up excessive! D-Fox drives in on Edwards and lays it up excessive for the deuce!
Too quick! D-Fox lulls the protection to sleep and drives previous Clark for the end!
Too open! D-Fox catches the move from Fort, takes a number of dribbles, and pulls up for the wide-open middy!
FLIGHT 4 CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF! After DiVincenzo throws the ball to Champagnie, he throws it forward to Keldon, who throws it forward to a wide-open D-Fox who finishes with two palms!
After the sport, D-Fox was referred to as upon to bang the drum for the Frost Financial institution Heart followers!
Keldon Johnson dropped 20 factors (8-14 FG, 3-5 3PT), two assists, a rebound, and a steal. One other KJ sport that feeds his 6MOTY marketing campaign. When the Spurs went on a chilly streak, KJ went to work. Not solely did he go to work, however he additionally got here up clutch for the silver and black. He continues to spark the Frost Financial institution Heart each time he makes a hustle play, and he’ll proceed to be the guts and soul of this staff.
K3LDON! KJ knocks down the contested nook three late within the first. Refined foreshadowing!
K3LDON: CLUTCH EDITION! KJ beats the shot clock buzzer with a 3 and offers the Spurs a four-point lead with 17 seconds remaining!
Dylan Harper dropped 9 factors, three rebounds, and three assists. Dyl continues to slash his option to the basket like a veteran guard. In simply 21 minutes, he was a combo guard that discovered guys in the suitable spots and completed with zero turnovers. He additionally supplied stable protection and was not afraid to go after boards. He nonetheless wants to shine his ending, however he has loads of time to determine it out.
HARP3R! Dyl makes use of the Wemby display screen to free himself up for the wide-open trey!
P&R to perfection! Dyl finds Luke Kornet reducing to the basket off the pick-and-roll for the straightforward end! Luke completed with eight factors, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Stephon Fort dropped eight factors, 9 assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Although Steph struggled from the sphere, he stuffed the stat sheet all-around. He dished dimes, grabbed boards, however most of all performed stable protection. Apart from the three steals, he was tasked with guarding Edwards. Whereas he stayed in entrance of him, he additionally ended up fouling out within the fourth with 28 minutes performed. Apart from turnovers, Steph continues to be engaged on enjoying with out fouling, and he is aware of it’s one thing he can repair.
Threading the needle! Steph finds a wide-open Luke who’s break up between the protection for the deuce!
Slippery! Lindy Waters III corrals the move from going out of bounds, splits defenders, and finishes on the rim!
All in all, this sport turned from a blowout right into a traditional. Albeit the Spurs blew one other big result in the Wolves, they nonetheless discovered a option to end the sport. Ant’s 55 versus Wemby’s 39 is the kind of duel NBA followers dream of. Elite shot-making irrespective of the protection: It’s like a sport of NBA2K broke out with the sliders maxed out. Nonetheless, D-Fox and KJ had been instrumental of their roles to assist clinch the squad’s first win in opposition to Minnesota this season. Hopefully, Devin Vassell is lastly again on Monday versus Utah.
Lastly, listed here are the complete sport highlights.
The Spurs tackle the Utah Jazz on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 4:00 P.M. (CST) on FDSN-SW.
