It might formally be the second half of the season, however one factor that hasn’t change for the reason that first is the Spurs’ incapability to carry onto a big lead in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a sluggish first quarter, the Spurs obtained sizzling within the second, main by as a lot as 25, however identical to their first two match-ups, they took their foot off the fuel and let the Wolves again in it within the second half. Anthony Edwards went nuclear, scoring 26 of his 55 factors within the fourth quarter as they ultimately retook the lead, however thankfully for the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama was capable of match his star energy and pull his workforce again to victory from the jaws of what would have been one other embarrassing defeat.
The Spurs took benefit of no Rudy Gobert, who was out with a bruised hip, by attacking the paint for 8 of their first 9 factors, however in the end neither workforce may discover a lot offense early, with the rating sitting at simply 10-9 Spurs after six minutes. The Timberwovles had been the primary workforce to search out some momentum, getting up by 5 at 17-12, however that appeared to wake the Spurs up as they responded with a 7-0 run, with all seven factors coming from Keldon Johnson. Nonetheless, the Spurs discovered themselves down 22-21 on the finish of the primary after a 5-0 Wolves burst, together with a 3 from Edwards off an offensive rebound, earlier than a De’Aaron Fox floater on the buzzer.
The Spurs woke as much as begin the second quarter, with Wemby getting extra concerned within the offense, which opened issues up for everybody else, and threes from Dylan Harper and Stephon Fortress obtained them up by double digits, 41-31, forcing a Chris Finch timeout. The Spurs stored piling on, with Fortress discovering Luke Kornet on consecutive lobs to stretch the result in 51-35, main to a different Wolves timeout with 4 minutes remaining. The onslaught continued, with Wemby scoring 13 of their ultimate 16 factors, together with hitting 4 straight threes, and general the Spurs had their highest scoring quarter of the season (and 4th highest in franchise historical past) with 48 factors, together with hitting 8 threes, to guide 69-44 on the half.
In fact, after second-half power was an issue of their two losses in Minneapolis, the query could be if the Spurs may hold their foot on the fuel this time The reply was an emphatic no, because the Wolves got here out of halftime extra decided whereas the Spurs regarded complacent. Minnesota began the third quarter on a 14-3 run, sparked by French rookie Joan Beringer. They’d hold chipping away all through the second half whereas the Spurs struggled with turnovers and permitting too many transition buckets. The Wolves lastly took their first lead since early within the second quarter on an Edwards jumper with 3:28 left within the sport, however then, chaos ensued.
Wemby went into celebrity mode, first responding to Edwards with a jumper of his personal, and the identical once more on the following possession with them buying and selling threes. Wemby then stole the ball and drew free throws to retake the lead after a annoyed Edwards pushed him down. The groups continued to go back-and-fourth till a giant three from Johnson obtained the Spurs up by 4 with 18 seconds remaining, however this sport simply refused to finish with out drama.
Finch obtained a technical foul for unknown causes throughout a timeout, Wemby missed the free throw, and Edwards hit one other three with 11 seconds left. Fox then hit his free throws, and the Spurs determined to foul Edwards so he couldn’t get one other three. He missed the second, which was grabbed by Wemby, however the usually-reliable Julian Champagnie missed each free throws. Wemby got here to the rescue once more and grabbed the offensive rebound and made his first free throw, however then he made the odd determination to overlook the second, regardless that a make would have given them a four-point lead with underneath two seconds left and no Wolves timeouts. As an alternative, he dedicated a lane violation going for the rebound, giving the Wolves the ball, however thankfully Edwards missed on a half courtroom heave, and the Spurs escaped 126-123.
It’s that Keldon three, in fact. You even have to like the response of the Bald Bros.
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The Spurs have an opportunity to get again at one other workforce that was a thorn of their aspect throughout that 10-game hunch (that they hopefully are out of) and sweep their three-game residence stand earlier than returning to the highway.
