Spurs rout Timberwolves 139-109 in Game 6

San Antonio closed the series with the kind of Game 6 that left little suspense by halftime. The Spurs beat Minnesota 139-109 on Friday night at Target Center in Minneapolis, won the Western Conference semifinal 4-2 and moved into the conference finals for the first time since 2017. Stephon Castle led the scoring with 32 points, De’Aaron Fox added 21, and Victor Wembanyama finished with 19 as San Antonio shot 55.7% and pulled away with a 20-0 run in the second quarter. Oklahoma City awaits next, with Game 1 of the Western Conference finals set for Monday. ### How did San Antonio break the game open so quickly? The Spurs built a 56-27 lead early in the second quarter after opening the period on a 20-0 run, according to the NBA game summary. Castle scored 14 points in the first quarter and hit three 3-pointers as San Antonio took control before Minnesota could settle into the game. San Antonio finished 18-for-38 from 3-point range, while Minnesota went 12-for-34. The Spurs also won the rebounding battle 60-29, a margin that kept extra possessions flowing even on the possessions when their first shot did not fall. ### Which Spurs players set the tone? (nba.com) Castle posted 32 points and 11 rebounds, giving San Antonio its top scoring line in the closeout game. Fox added 21 points and nine assists, Julian Champagnie scored 18, rookie Dylan Harper had 15 off the bench and Devin Vassell added 11. Wembanyama scored 19 points in 27 minutes and added three blocks. (tpr.org) After his 27-point, 17-rebound performance in Game 5, Minnesota guarded him more tightly in Game 6, but the Spurs still used his size around the rim and his presence in transition to keep pressure on the Timberwolves, according to the Associated Press recap published on NBA.com. (nba.com) ### What went wrong for Minnesota in the elimination game? Anthony Edwards scored 24 points, but he needed 26 shots to get there. Terrence Shannon Jr. added 21 points, Naz Reid had 18 and Jaden McDaniels scored 13, but Minnesota never recovered from the early deficit. Julius Randle finished with three points on 1-for-8 shooting, and Rudy Gobert went scoreless with three rebounds in 22 minutes. (nba.com) The Timberwolves cut the deficit to 74-61 by halftime, but they did not make a sustained push in the second half. ### What did the players say after the game? (tpr.org) Anthony Edwards went to the Spurs bench in the fourth quarter to offer congratulations, the AP recap said. “I just tip my hat to them,” Edwards said. “They were just the better team.” Victor Wembanyama looked ahead more cautiously. “Of course we’re confident, but we need to keep the right confidence level,” he said, according to the AP recap. “Right now, I’m not even thinking about it. (tpr.org) I’m just thinking about recovering.” ### How unusual is this run for San Antonio? The Spurs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and have now reached the Western Conference finals after eliminating Minnesota in six games, according to Reuters/Field Level Media and NBA.com. (nba.com) The NBA playoff page lists San Antonio as the winner of the series, 4-2, after Minnesota took Game 1 and San Antonio answered with wins in Games 2, 3, 5 and 6. The conference finals appearance is San Antonio’s first since 2017, based on the team’s playoff history referenced in the user’s prompt and the current NBA bracket showing the Spurs advancing to face Oklahoma City. ### What comes next in the bracket? Oklahoma City will host San Antonio in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night. (tpr.org) Reuters/Field Level Media reported that the Thunder, the top seed in the West, swept their first two playoff series before drawing the Spurs in the next round. (nba.com)