The Spurs are back in San Antonio for Game Five after a 114-109 loss to the Timberwolves in Game Four that swung the series hard back Minnesota’s way. Victor Wembanyama will be available to play after being ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Naz Reid, and he avoided both a fine and a suspension.
Anthony Edwards scored 36 points to power Minnesota, while San Antonio let the Timberwolves grab 15 offensive rebounds for the second game in a row. The result gave Minnesota a 3-1 advantage and left the Spurs needing a response at home after reclaiming home-court advantage with their Game Three win.
The series has turned into a bruising fight around the rim, with both teams leaning on defense, rebounding and contact to set the tone. That has made the officials a central part of the discussion, especially after Wembanyama’s elbow to Reid in the neck ended his night and put added heat on every whistle that followed.
San Antonio’s path back is clear even if it is not simple. The Spurs shot 28% from three in Game One and 23% of their deep shots in Game Four, and Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie were expected to be the players most responsible for making open looks matter. When the shots have not fallen, the pressure on Wembanyama has grown, and he still managed to dominate Games Two and Three before the series tightened again.
Game Five also comes with an injury wrinkle for both sides. De’Aaron Fox was questionable for San Antonio because of an ankle injury sustained in Game Four, while Donte DiVincenzo was out for Minnesota with an achilles injury. That leaves both coaches working with thinner margins in a series that has already shown how quickly one run, one rebound or one foul can change the direction of a playoff round.
San Antonio now has to turn the series back in its own building and prove its Game Three surge was not a temporary swing. If the Spurs cannot clean up the glass and find enough perimeter shooting, the Timberwolves will walk out with the kind of road win that ends a comeback before it starts.
