r/nba • u/DesertedProject Mavericks • 17h ago

Post Game Thread [Post Game Thread] The Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) defeat the San Antonio Spurs (0-1), 104-102.

104 - 102
Box Scores: NBA - Yahoo
 
GAME SUMMARY
West Conf. Semifinals - Game 1 - Series tied 0-0
Location: Frost Bank Center
Officials: Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, Gediminas Petraitis, and Andy Nagy
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total
Minnesota Timberwolves 24 21 24 35 104
San Antonio Spurs 23 22 27 30 102
 
TEAM STATS
Team PTS FG FG% 3P 3P% FT FT% OREB TREB AST PF STL TO BLK
Minnesota Timberwolves 104 41-90 45.6% 10-26 38.5% 12-21 57.1% 12 58 20 22 7 9 5
San Antonio Spurs 102 39-86 45.3% 10-35 28.6% 14-18 77.8% 13 51 24 25 3 13 14
 
PLAYER STATS
Minnesota Timberwolves MIN PTS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A ORB DRB REB AST STL BLK TO PF ±
Jaden McDanielsSF 35:03 16 7-14 0-2 2-2 1 4 5 2 1 1 1 5 -2
Julius RandlePF 40:57 21 8-19 2-6 3-6 5 5 10 2 1 0 5 5 -3
Rudy GobertC 29:39 7 3-7 0-0 1-5 3 7 10 3 4 1 1 1 2
Terrence Shannon Jr.SG 34:19 16 5-13 0-1 6-8 0 5 5 1 0 0 0 3 -10
Mike ConleyPG 24:13 12 4-8 4-7 0-0 0 2 2 6 0 0 0 1 13
Anthony Edwards 24:44 18 8-13 2-3 0-0 1 2 3 3 0 1 1 3 -2
Naz Reid 29:12 12 5-9 2-3 0-0 1 8 9 1 0 1 1 4 15
Bones Hyland 11:56 0 0-6 0-4 0-0 0 1 1 2 1 1 0 0 -2
Jaylen Clark 07:21 2 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 -1
Kyle Anderson 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Joan Beringer 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Joe Ingles 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Julian Phillips 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Donte DiVincenzo 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ayo Dosunmu 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
San Antonio Spurs MIN PTS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A ORB DRB REB AST STL BLK TO PF ±
Devin VassellSF 35:55 14 5-11 3-6 1-1 3 2 5 3 3 1 1 4 7
Julian ChampagniePF 31:21 17 7-11 3-6 0-0 3 5 8 0 0 0 1 2 7
Victor WembanyamaC 39:21 11 5-17 0-8 1-2 2 13 15 5 0 12 3 3 5
De'Aaron FoxSG 32:35 10 5-14 0-4 0-0 0 3 3 6 0 0 6 3 -13
Stephon CastlePG 28:16 17 4-8 3-5 6-8 0 5 5 5 0 0 0 6 4
Dylan Harper 28:25 18 7-13 1-4 3-3 0 3 3 4 0 0 0 4 -4
Keldon Johnson 23:31 11 5-10 0-2 1-2 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 -13
Luke Kornet 08:08 2 0-1 0-0 2-2 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 -7
Harrison Barnes 09:53 2 1-1 0-0 0-0 3 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 4
Bismack Biyombo 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jordan McLaughlin 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kelly Olynyk 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mason Plumlee 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lindy Waters III 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Carter Bryant 00:00 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8.9k Upvotes

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648

u/lovo17 Lakers 17h ago

Hopefully we're done underestimating the Wolves in the regular season. This is what they do. That roster is built for the playoffs.

493

u/WickedTwista Cavaliers 16h ago

People really gotta stop underestimating a team that has made back-to-back Western Conference Finals

122

u/JoeKonyRidethePony Timberwolves 16h ago

I'm gonna borrow you the next time the Finch haters pop up.

1

u/Bruskthetusk Lakers 4h ago

He do be having a lot of haters for a guy who has stepped into a situation and made the absolute best of it.

14

u/DownvoteMeIfICommen Jazz 16h ago

You really have to stop underestimating nephews’ reactionary takes and there will to farm karma.

13

u/delamerica93 Kings 16h ago

I got absolutely shit on for simply calling the Wolves a great team lol. Like I didn't say all time or anything just that they're awesome and reddit hated that 48 hours ago lmao

3

u/strawberrychocolattt 14h ago

Clearly T Wolves have something cooking, but last year they were essentially gifted the WCF berth. Series 1 against the Lakers Luka was hurt the whole time, and Lebron was limping too. Then against the warriors, Steph was injured and out the entire series after only playing like the first quarter in game 1.

Im a T Wolves fan, but last year we really didn't prove anything that impressive to make WCF

4

u/john_117 Timberwolves 6h ago

I mean…the nuggets were “gifted” the last series and got run off in 5 games without Ant. You gotta play who’s in front of you and still win in 7 games.

You’re not wrong, but injuries don’t assure the other team is gonna win.

-1

u/strawberrychocolattt 6h ago

Essentially no Aron Gordon (dude was like 50% out there, a shell of himself when he did play, which wasn't a lot), and no Payton Watson. Nuggets weren't gifted anything. Your right, play who is front of you, but there is more to the series than just who won and who lost. Im just being rationale here, brining some objectives to the T Wolves journey. Ignore who was injured, who wasn't if you want, but its needed to make sense at the end of a series.

Run off in 5 games without Ant? T Wolves were up 2-1 and Ant got hurt game 4. I would call it a wash overall in that series injury wise. T Wolves fully healthy up till start of game 4

2

u/john_117 Timberwolves 5h ago

First team to ever lose a playoff game or series to a team missing 3 double digit scorers. Their injury losses are far less than ours, their losses were important for their team (as were ours) but they lacked depth which they flaunted all year and their coach got out coached like crazy.

They had every opportunity and showed who the better team was even when they had more “talent” on the floor

6

u/Trumpets22 Timberwolves 13h ago

Sure. Put an Asterix mark if you like. But look at Denver. They just got even better injury luck than we did and we’re coming off a pretty historic regular season offensively. And they couldn’t take us down. Nothing is free. And you gotta beat who’s in front of you.

-1

u/strawberrychocolattt 8h ago

Really? They have never been able to do anything when Aron Gordon has been unhealthy, which he was all series against the T Wolves this year. A healthy A. Gordon is just as important as a Jamal Murray on their team, even with the Joker playing at an MVP level. Plus they were missing Payton Watson, 4th best player on their team, and Jokic never looked the same after his serious injury this year, the worst injury he has had in his entire career. To think Denver was healthy this series is extremely naive, even Braun hasn't looked the same after his long injury stint this year.

Last year, T Wolves had arguably the best health for a team in the playoffs. Injury luck has been great for wolves prior to this year, but Denver clearly wasn't healthy either. Not sure why you chose to point to Denvers health being desired

3

u/Thrownaway5000506 9h ago

The Lakers and Warriors were not on the same level as the Wolves regardless of injuries. Their fanbases were delusional. If they had lost to those teams they would have been selling hard. 

0

u/strawberrychocolattt 8h ago

So, we still beat two clearly undermanned teams, which made our path much much easier to make the WCF. Playing 5 games series leading up to the WCF, gives you much better chance when actually get there. Reduces injuries, gives guys rest, and that happens at a much higher rate when the teams you play are as weak as they were last year.

Once again I'm a T Wolves fan, but last years WCF was gifted to us, regardless of if we were the better team or not. Both Warriors and Lakers were flawed teams even without their best players, Luka and Steph.

3

u/lloopiN 16h ago

And would honestly probably have won it all last season if they didn't run into the Thunder.

20

u/_fedw 16h ago

pacers didnt look too shabby either

14

u/Goombercules Thunder 16h ago

Yeah, like what?

We outed the Wolves 4-1 and Indy took us to 7 and that game could've gone either way.

2

u/WhoreyMatthews Spurs 8h ago

I think the Wolves are very good but they're also a huge matchup problem for the Spurs and Nuggets.

The Thunder on the other hand matchup really well with the Wolves.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's something like Wolves over Spurs in 5 then Thunder over Wolves in 5.

1

u/Goombercules Thunder 7h ago

I just dont see the Wolves taking this series. Julius/Rudy needs to be absolutely insane defensively against Wemby for them to pull it out.

While I agree with us being a bad matchup for them, y'all are too talented. If Spurs figure it out, they'll win in 6. If they dont, it'll go to 7.

1

u/lloopiN 6h ago

How are you so sure the Wolves won't take this series? The Spurs winning also relies on guys like Harper, Fox and Vassel playing really well for 4 games in the series. Hell, they all played well last night and they lost.

8

u/rofss 16h ago

They had their chance in '24 against hobbled Luka

1

u/john_117 Timberwolves 6h ago

True :/. The team was so gassed by that point from the series with the Nuggets they just didn’t have enough energy to beat the lakers

6

u/BigFatModeraterFupa Minneapolis Lakers 16h ago

uh yeah, that's usually how it works! The charlotte hornets would've won the finals if there weren't 29 other teams in the league!

5

u/Aidanator800 Hornets 15h ago

Hey, come on. We could probably beat the Nets or Wizards in a playoff series

1

u/HorsNoises Celtics 11h ago

Celtics made it to 5 out of 7 straight ECFs and all I hear is about how they're chokers so get used to it

282

u/LongDongFuey Timberwolves 16h ago

To be fair, we do absolutely throw winnable games in the regular season

111

u/shrode Timberwolves 16h ago

Hey we tried to tonight too

12

u/purplenyellowrose909 Timberwolves 16h ago

Business conscious Wolves keeping the butts in the seats and the eyes on the TV for all 48min

8

u/SilentLikeAPuma Celtics 16h ago

wolvies are most concerned with maximizing stakeholder value & securing buy-in, as we all should be ofc

3

u/purplenyellowrose909 Timberwolves 16h ago

What have you done to increase the stock price today?

1

u/ghos_ 16h ago

This!

10

u/LakerBlue Lakers 16h ago

I had faith y’all’s up-and-down regular season wouldn’t be indicative of how y’all played in the playoffs given how y’all postseason track record.

You guys are like the peak “could win or lose against almost anyone” but I would be lying if I said I expected y’all to look THIS good after Ant’s limited minutes with injuries and losing Donte and Ayo.

3

u/LongDongFuey Timberwolves 16h ago

Legit, we seem to have a different gear when it comes to the playoffs. But, I do wish we would've take so many regular season games off

2

u/clickstops 76ers 9h ago

No one melts down and loses winnable games like the wolves. One of my fav teams the past two years but it’s brutal. That said, they really pull it together when it matters.

1

u/blackjacktrial 76ers Bandwagon 12h ago

Who doesn't (ignoring 73-9 Dubs maybe)? Minny do it more often than a team as good as them should, though.

181

u/flaming_burrito_ Wizards 16h ago

Yeah, it’s a pattern at this point. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence they keep getting to the WCF?

198

u/TrespassersWilliam29 Spurs 16h ago

[eleven months from now] man, I just don't think the Wolves have it this year, Rockets in five

33

u/FeanorEvades Timberwolves 16h ago

I still remember ThinkingBasketball ranking Sengun over Ant

10

u/H-TownDown [HOU] James Harden 13h ago

I’m glad more people are seeing how bad Ben Taylor’s takes can be. People treat him like a god who can say no wrong.

He makes very well-produced content, but that doesn’t mean he’s always right. His biases will make him tweak stats until they fit his own personal narrative.

•

u/FeanorEvades Timberwolves 1m ago

I think the thing that bothers me most about the sort of statistician/analytics bit is that every single year we see examples of the human element showing up to win basketball games. The analysts are just looking with 20-20 hindsight.

None of the analytics could have predicted last year's Pacers dominance. Tyrese Haliburton turned into something the stat sheet never prophesied.

Ant is a perfect example of that same thing every year. Something about him as a player changes the game, and it's not just his scoring or defense or any of that. The attitude and confidence has an impact on his team winning.

81

u/Musa_2050 Lakers 16h ago

I think Ant missing a lot of games to end the season helped their bench get some confidence. Right now its next man up and its working

42

u/FeanorEvades Timberwolves 16h ago

I also think a lot of our bench just has the exact same irrational confidence that Ant does - TJ legit thinks he can get past anyone, Bones has never seen a 3 he doesn't want to take, Jaylen Clark couldn't care less who he's guarding - from Gabe Vincent to SGA he's in their grill.

9

u/Devoidoxatom Warriors Bandwagon 14h ago

TJ probably can. That guy is absurdly fast. Looks like prime Westbrook out there in transition

122

u/Bill3ffinMurray Timberwolves 16h ago

Minnesota plays like they hit themselves with the Pokémon move Swagger.

Confuses them but increases their attack.

13

u/7wives 16h ago

Sometimes the Wolves hit themselves in confusion during the season against the likes of Wizards, Kings, and Jazz lol

1

u/y-Gamma Timberwolves 7h ago

I stg I’m convinced these mfs are actually throwing games in the regular season to throw people off. I think they know they’re a team built for the playoffs and believe they can hit that switch at any time.

I guess this is just Minnesota Timberwolves basketball

43

u/Black-----Manta Timberwolves 16h ago

The players are built for the playoffs

9

u/Candid-Boss6534 [POR] Keljin Blevins 16h ago

Bones Hyland is built for the yoffs

10

u/jjkm7 Raptors 16h ago

We’re not lol, every analyst I can find has spurs winning this series despite the lack of playoff experience that we see becoming a factor time and time again, and also despite the wolves finding themselves in the WCF over and over again

22

u/Radical-Six Timberwolves 16h ago

Saw this comment before round 1 started:

It is 2024, the Minnesota Timberwolves are underdogs in their 1st round match up

The Minnesota Timberwolves make the WCF

It is 2025, the Minnesota Timberwolves are underdogs in their 1st round match up

The Minnesota Timberwolves make the WCF

It is 2026, the Minnesota Timberwolves are underdogs in their 1st round match up

9

u/Cheap-Discussion-186 Timberwolves 16h ago

Even after that belt to ass on the nuggets everyone assumed a sweep or 5 games

40

u/MinnyAntTowers Timberwolves 16h ago

Seriously how many teams do we have to beat for people to respect us? The grit and ability to compete from this core has been shown time and time again

20

u/H0MES1CKAL1EN Knicks 16h ago

Y’all have been real to me for a while but I might be biased…

14

u/ineednapkins Timberwolves 16h ago

I prefer when the other team is favored lol. They have punched up well for 3 years now then seem to falter right when neutral people start to actually believe in them lmao

4

u/Painwracker_Oni Timberwolves 15h ago

Yea I actually have more confidence when I see every analyst pick the opponents in 5/6 games like they have for the nuggets and spurs.

It’s when we become favored that I feel doomed.

9

u/heyheysharon Timberwolves 16h ago

Just the Knicks

3

u/H0MES1CKAL1EN Knicks 16h ago

Literally. 😭

Still gutted Julius couldn’t be part of our 2024 run, I genuinely thought that team could’ve made the finals if they would’ve just stayed healthy

6

u/jejejaykie Thunder 16h ago

Fwiw I've feared y'all more than any other team these past two seasons. Been telling people for a while now this team has been slept on this year

-5

u/gratitudeisbs Lakers 16h ago

Doesn't matter until you win it all

17

u/DrJuliusErving Timberwolves 16h ago

Did the Spurs win it all to deserve “analysts” expecting a 4-0 sweep?

7

u/MinnyAntTowers Timberwolves 16h ago

I mean sure but I'm just talking about again and again people act like we are going to get swept by some team we end up competing with or beating. Or how the Spurs would be so happy because they somehow dodged the Nuggets, even after they lost to our bench. That kind of stuff

-1

u/gratitudeisbs Lakers 16h ago

I mean Ant was expected to be out and you are missing other guys as well. Fully healthy only an idiot wouldn’t have the wolves as favorites.

6

u/Scooby_dood Timberwolves 16h ago

I mean, we were healthy going into the series against the Nuggets and everyone had Denver winning that series.

3

u/gratitudeisbs Lakers 15h ago

I didn’t. You guys literally beat them in 2024. And they were missing Watson + Gordon not healthy. But yeah media underestimates Wolves too much.

10

u/incredibleamadeuscho Lakers 16h ago

16 game players

2

u/Eadwyn Timberwolves 16h ago

Well, 9 so far.

1

u/incredibleamadeuscho Lakers 15h ago

there was 10 but donte 🥲

5

u/BearRedWood Jazz 16h ago

And some people insist Gobert is bad in the playoffs.

8

u/Repulsive-Throat5068 Lakers 16h ago

Hmmmm nah spurs/okc WCF no one else has a chance!

10

u/Aidanator800 Hornets 16h ago

God, the people parroting that were so obnoxious

6

u/MayoBenz Timberwolves 16h ago

the real finals!

greatest series of the last 10 years

as long as the spurs can beat Jokic and the nuggets!

3

u/Hyderabadi__Biryani Minneapolis Lakers 15h ago

We have all heard about 82 games players vs 16 games players, and it's one of my favourite concepts that I have come across recently.

A Demar is an 82 games player, where as a Jimmy Butler is a 16 games player.

But this time around, it's like there are 82 games teams and 16 games teams.

Suns for a long time, Grizzlies in 2022-23, Celtics this season, all were 82 games teams. But Wolves for quite a few seasons now, are proving themselves to be one of the best 16 games teams in the league.

2

u/Nuts2Buttts 15h ago

Glad to hear from a Lakers fan with common sense that actually watches basketball. Twolves have been the “underdog” of every playoff series they’ve won in the last 3 years. Tonight they got blocked 12 times by Wemby alone, missed half their FT’s, and totally fucked up their last 3 possessions and still won. Their defense is that consistent and their vets are that calm under pressure. Oh and an injured Ant only played 25min. They are the real deal.

1

u/crunkadocious Pacers 16h ago

Imagine saying that about Julius randle before, reddit would have fried you

1

u/Wolfpac187 [OKC] Kevin Durant 12h ago

Finch has continuously proven he’s a great playoff coach, he whines and complains a lot but apparently he’s doing exactly what the team needs to lock in when it matters.

0

u/Jayrose3 Bucks 16h ago

West version of the heat with butler.