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The game never felt comfortable. Not for a second. Every possession was a fight. Every shot was earned. And by the time the final seconds ticked away Monday night, the difference between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves came down to a single shot that wouldn’t fall.
San Antonio opened its Western Conference semifinal series with a narrow 104-102 loss, a game defined less by scoring runs and more by survival. From the opening tip, it was clear this wouldn’t be pretty. Shots clanged off the rim. Driving lanes disappeared as quickly as they opened. Both teams leaned into physicality, turning the game into a defensive grind that never allowed rhythm to settle in.
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“They’re physical, they guard the basketball really well,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of Minnesota. “They take a lot of pride in it. In first half, I thought we were a bit indecisive, that hurt us in the first half, picked up pace in 2nd half. We missed some good shots.”
Still, the Spurs never broke.
They absorbed Minnesota’s pressure, matched their intensity, and kept the score within reach all night long. It wasn’t smooth or flashy, but it was enough to keep hope alive deep into the fourth quarter with a three point lead.
If there was one force that shaped the night, it was Victor Wembanyama. Every time Minnesota thought it had an easy look at the rim, he was there: altering shots, blocking attempts, and reshaping the Timberwolves’ offense entirely. His performance was historic, anchoring a defensive effort that gave San Antonio every chance to steal Game 1.
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But even dominance on that end couldn’t solve everything and for all their defensive success, the Spurs struggled to find consistent scoring. Open looks were rare. Clean possessions were even rarer. And when opportunities did come, San Antonio couldn’t convert enough of them, especially from beyond the arc.
“Offensively I used too much energy on things that didn’t really help our team. So that’s on me,” Wembanyama said after the game. “First thing, I need to start making some shots [in Game 2].”
Instead, they…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/spurs-last-minute-rally-falls-054900535.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-05 05:49:00
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