Spurs eliminate Timberwolves with Game 6 victory, advance to next round

The San Antonio Spurs closed out the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday with a 139-109 road win in Game 6, sending San Antonio to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2017. The NBA’s official playoff schedule lists the Spurs as the No. 2 seed and Oklahoma City as the No. 1 seed in the next round, with Game 1 set for Monday, May 18, in Oklahoma City. Friday’s result ended a six-game semifinal series that swung sharply after Minnesota took Game 1. San Antonio answered with wins in Games 2, 3, 5 and 6, including a 126-97 victory in Game 5 and the 30-point clincher on Friday night. ### Who actually drove the closeout win? Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the series-clinching game, according to NBA.com’s playoff recap. (nba.com) De’Aaron Fox added 21 points, and Victor Wembanyama finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three blocks as the Spurs combined shot-making with rim protection in the blowout. (nba.com) NBA.com’s game and team pages list the final margin at 30 points, underscoring how complete the closeout was after Minnesota had forced a split in the first four games. The Spurs had already shown control in Game 5 with a 29-point win before ending the series on the road. ### How did the series turn after Minnesota took Game 1? Minnesota opened the matchup with a 104-102 win in Game 1, but San Antonio responded with a 133-95 rout in Game 2 and a 115-108 win in Game 3. (nba.com) After the Timberwolves evened the series with a 114-109 Game 4 victory, the Spurs won the final two games by a combined 59 points. The official bracket now shows San Antonio winning the semifinal 4-2 after dispatching Portland 4-1 in the first round. (nba.com) Oklahoma City reached the conference finals by sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0. ### Why does the opponent matter now? Oklahoma City is already locked in as San Antonio’s next opponent, according to the NBA bracket and playoff schedule. That means the Spurs moved directly from a six-game semifinal into a conference finals matchup against the West’s top seed. (nba.com) NBA.com’s live playoff recap said the Thunder “await” San Antonio and listed Monday’s opener as the next confirmed game on the calendar. (nba.com) The same schedule page shows Game 2 on Wednesday, May 20, before the series shifts to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4. ### What does the schedule look like from here? Game 1 of the Western Conference finals is scheduled for Monday, May 18, at 8:30 p.m. (nba.com) Eastern on NBC and Peacock, with San Antonio at Oklahoma City. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, also in Oklahoma City. Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Friday, May 22, and Sunday, May 24, in San Antonio, according to the NBA’s official playoff schedule. (nba.com) If the series goes the distance, Game 7 would be on Saturday, May 30, in Oklahoma City. (nba.com)