Spurs rout Timberwolves by 38 to even West semifinal series 1-1

San Antonio didn’t just bounce back in Game 2. The Spurs detonated the game before halftime and never let Minnesota breathe. The final was 133-95 on Wednesday, May 6 — a 38-point win that evened the Western Conference semifinal at 1-1. That matters because Game 1 had been a two-point Minnesota escape, so this wasn’t some sleepy split. It was a full-on momentum swing. ### How bad was the blowout? Pretty bad from the jump, and then worse. Minnesota scored only 17 points in the first quarter and 35 in the first half. San Antonio led by as many as 47, led for 96% of the game, and had emptied the benches with about 10 minutes left. This ended up as the Timberwolves’ largest postseason loss in franchise history. From Game 1? The Spurs played with way more force. That was the whole thing. In the opener, Minnesota survived a tight game 104-102 even with Wembanyama putting up a historic defensive line. In Game 2, San Antonio came out pressuring the ball, running after misses, and treating every loose possession like it mattered. The Wolves looked slow by comparison. ### Was this just a Wembanyama game? Not exactly — and that’s why it’s scary for Minnesota. Wembanyama had 19 points, 15 rebounds, and anchored the paint again, but the Spurs didn’t need a 40-point superhero act. Stephon Castle led them with 21 points. De’Aaron Fox added 16. San Antonio shot 50% from the field and 41% from 3, so the offense came from everywhere. That’s the version of the Spurs that can tilt a series fast. ### Why did Minnesota’s offense collapse? Turnovers and pace. San Antonio forced mistakes early, got out in transition, and kept turning defense into easy offense. The Spurs finished with 13 steals, 29 fast-break points, and 58 points in the paint. Minnesota coughed it up 22 times and shot just 40% overall. When a team is already struggling in the half court, those extra giveaways are basically gasoline on the fire. ### What about Anthony Edwards? He still wasn’t fully unleashed. Edwards came off the bench again as Minnesota kept managing his minutes in his second game back from a hyperextended left knee. He finished with 12 points, tied with Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Terrence Shannon Jr. for the team lead. That tells you the bigger problem — Minnesota had no offensive center of gravity at all. ### Does a 38-point win count extra? Not on the bracket. The series is 1-1 either way. But psychologically, yes — obviously. Blowouts can be weird because they don’t guarantee the next game, yet they do expose pressure points. San Antonio showed it can overwhelm Minnesota with speed, length, and ball pressure. Minnesota learned that a casual start against this Spurs team is basically surrender. ### So what matters in Game 3? Whether Minnesota can slow the game down and whether Edwards looks more like himself. The series now moves to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday, May 8, with Game 4 there on Sunday, May 10. If the Wolves respond, this turns back into a normal second-round fight. If San Antonio brings the same urgency, the blowout starts looking less like a one-night spike and more like the series’ real shape. The bottom line is simple — Game 2 was San Antonio’s reminder that the Spurs aren’t just happy to be here. They can bury a contender when the pressure, pace, and defense all show up at once.