Spurs rout Timberwolves 139-109

The San Antonio Spurs closed out Minnesota with their cleanest offensive game of the series on Friday, beating the Timberwolves 139-109 in Game 6 at Target Center and moving into the Western Conference finals. San Antonio won the best-of-seven semifinal 4-2 and will next face the Oklahoma City Thunder. Stephon Castle led all scorers with 32 points, and the Spurs put up 74 points in the first half before stretching the margin further in the third quarter. NBA.com listed the final as a 30-point San Antonio win and marked the Spurs as advancing to the West finals. ### How complete was San Antonio’s control in Game 6? San Antonio scored 36 points in the first quarter, 38 in the second and 36 in the third, leaving little room for a Minnesota comeback. The Spurs shot 49-for-88 from the field, or 55.7%, and made 18 of 38 3-point attempts, according to the box score. Minnesota shot 43.4% overall and trailed by 26 entering the fourth quarter. (nba.com) The 139 points were driven by ball movement as much as shot-making. San Antonio finished with 34 assists on 49 made baskets, while Minnesota had 24 assists on 29 field goals. The Spurs also held a 68-51 rebounding edge, with 48 defensive rebounds limiting second chances for the Timberwolves. (basketball.realgm.com) ### What did Stephon Castle put on the box score? Stephon Castle finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes and 47 seconds, the best all-around line of the night. The Spurs guard shot 11-for-16 from the field, 5-for-7 from 3-point range and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. Fox Sports and the game box score both listed Castle as the game’s leading scorer. (basketball.realgm.com) De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists, while Victor Wembanyama scored 19 points with six rebounds and three blocks. Julian Champagnie scored 18 points, and rookie Dylan Harper added 15 off the bench as San Antonio spread the scoring across the rotation. ### How badly did Minnesota’s main scorers struggle? (foxsports.com) Anthony Edwards scored 24 points for Minnesota, but he needed 26 shots to get there and made just 2 of 7 from beyond the arc. Julius Randle scored three points on 1-for-8 shooting, and Rudy Gobert was held scoreless in 21 minutes. Naz Reid led the Timberwolves’ bench with 18 points. (basketball.realgm.com) Minnesota’s starting group could not match San Antonio’s efficiency. The Timberwolves’ starters combined for 50 points, while the Spurs got 101 points from their starters before emptying the bench late. The game was played before an announced crowd of 18,978 in Minneapolis. ### When did the game swing fully toward the Spurs? (basketball.realgm.com) The third quarter turned a double-digit San Antonio lead into a rout. The Spurs outscored Minnesota 36-23 in the period, pushing the margin to 110-84 entering the fourth. By then, Castle had already crossed 30 points and San Antonio’s lead had moved beyond any late push. (basketball.realgm.com) NBA.com’s game page listed the result as San Antonio’s series-clinching win and showed the Spurs taking the matchup four games to two. The league’s playoff page also lists San Antonio as the semifinal winner advancing out of the bracket. ### What comes next for San Antonio? Oklahoma City is next for San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. (basketball.realgm.com) The Oklahoman published the series schedule with Game 1 set for Monday, May 18, in Oklahoma City, and other local outlets published the same opening date and site. (nba.com) Game 1 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Central Time at Paycom Center, according to the published schedules. The Spurs enter that series after eliminating Minnesota on May 15, while the Thunder had already secured their place in the conference finals before the matchup was set. (oklahoman.com)