Game Thread Playoffs Round 2, Game 1: Spurs vs Timberwolves (0-0) (Mon 05/04/2026) [8:30 CDT]

[scott]

It's more of a numbers game. How many times have a team scored on the last play of a game out of a timeout vs how many they have scored on the last play of the game just playing it out. One of those numbers is way higher than the other.

Okay give me the numbers

 

[CGD]

Wide open look for 3 to win > contested attempt against a set defense to tie

Every time. Because the objective of the game is to win, not to go to overtime

 

[TowelWaver]

Not mad. The lack of offensive leadership from Wemby and Fox should have led to a 20 point blowout tbh. The rest of the team showed a lot of grit.

If Wemby wants that MVP this year or any year, he has to figure this out. He’s young but games like this offensively are not acceptable

Which is exactly why he’s got to cut out all the freestyling shit and lock in on a go-to move. His inability to hit even a simple midrange shot tonight was a killer.

 

[frenchfred]

the story of the game is not getting the ball inside to Wemby, the team is not running enough screens to get players open and of course Fox shitting the bed. Mitch'd better figure out quickly out to get Wemby open otherwise that might be a sweep

 

[Snake Eyes]

We got a wide open 3 with our best shooter, no idea how anybody can complain about that tbh.

Especially since we did not play anywhere near our level in the fourth. Hell, the game.

 

[e78]

Minny pulling Gobert in the 4th and going with 5 parameter players really threw the Spurs off.

They've seen it now though and that is likely the biggest adjustment Minny can make in the series.

If Fox and/or Wemby are just average offensively this is a blow out tonight. Hopefully they get it together and bounce back Wednesday

 

[Trifecta]

The point is we got that look. Minnesota had to be shitting themselves because it was at the buzzer. And he’s a good three-point shooter.

Certainly won’t fault the last shot, just all of the poor play beforehand allowing Minny to hang around. Not saying the series is over but it can go 7.

 

[100%Duncan]

Cant even hate on the Wolves tbh this makes it worse

 

[Mugen]

On the bright side, 2pt loss with us shooting < 30% from 3 and an absolutely horrendous game from Vic/Fox.

Ant's minutes will go up as the series goes along but if our shooting comes back then I still give us a pretty good chance to win the series tbh.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

It's more of a numbers game. How many times have a team scored on the last play of a game out of a timeout vs how many they have scored on the last play of the game just playing it out. One of those numbers is way higher than the other.

If not, taking a time out, resulted in a bad pass and a turnover, you would be correct. But a good three-point shooter had a wide open look. There is no argument. He just missed

 

[SanAnSpursFan21]

Champ is the man and one of, if not THE biggest reason the Spurs had a last second chance to win or tie, but I didn’t like him taking that. Love him and he’s going above and beyond what anyone can expect of him. But man, I don’t think he’s taken a clutch 3 in his career really, let alone made one

 

[SupremeGuy]

Those injuries are not going to magically fix themselves as the series goes on. And we played like shit. Minnesota is not some world beating championship team. We will bounce back

Exactly how I feel. We played like shit and didn't deserve to win. On to the next game.

 

[ginobilized]

It's a really tough matchup for us and their veterans are playing better and smarter than ours. We have no one that can battle Randle/Reid. Lots of wasted possessions. If Harper is injured, we are truly fucked. I Hope CB comes back soon. He'd be great on Shannon

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Certainly won’t fault the last shot, just all of the poor play beforehand allowing Minny to hang around. Not saying the series is over but it can go 7.

I think we bounce back on Wednesday. But a lot to clean up. A lot to clean up

 

[Ice009]

Yeah I noticed that too, he may have not had the juice to drive

I didn't notice. Darn. I believe if he had the juice he would have scored, possibly on an And1. I felt it was his shot.

I also would have preferred a timeout before all that, though.

 

[goprimogo]

shannon was a pest

 

[Seventyniner]

The Spurs played much further below their potential than the Wolves did and still nearly won.

Theres no such thing as a good playoff loss but I'm not jumping off the cliff. Yet. Lose game 2 and it's look out below.

 

[SickDSM]

Two cents from a wolves fan tonight. I didn't see the first half I was still working. Saw the 7 block stats and was surprised it was so close. Should have been a blowout, DVD and Ayo are a huge part of this team and ant isn't 100% yet. Even if so this isn't the roster that should compete with the 26 spurs.

BUT takeaways for the second half. Your coach is trash. Pop has been a bitter corpse the last 5-6 years also and that has stifled the addition of a great coach. Denver was clearly out coached and every wolves fan was so thankful that they didn't still have Malone. I'm not a Finch fan but it was too easy to take Wemby out of the equation down the stretch on D. No reason for him not to counter the wide open curls and screens to pull Wemby out of the paint.

And Wemby was very undiscliplined. The first half block stats got me thinking that and it reafirmed it watching the second half. He is very quick to leave his feet. A guy that can score from the 5 and take advantage of that could get him in easy foul trouble. Plus the 3s he took seemed out of flow and forced. Especially with Randle/Jaden getting into foul trouble and Rudy being too slow.

 

[Arguendo]

Would you really have felt better with Mitch drawing up the play?

After tonight, I'm really questioning if Mitch is a terrible coach.
You'll think he ever thought about telling Vic and Fox to maybe stop taking terrible shots with 18 seconds left on the clock?
The whole game was play 18-24 seconds of great D, only to piss the next possession away in 8 seconds or less.
At least Harp, Champ, and Keldon showed up. We played a terrible, sloppy, frantic offensive game and had a great chance to take the W.

This is going 7 games, unless Mitch mitches it up

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

Serious question, is there a worse matchup for the spurs in the league?

Knicks

 

[Kick-Stand]

All wide open looks are not created equal. I’d rather have a contested Wemby drive a few from the basket or a catch and shoot shot off of that instead of a Champ step back 3 there

In an ordinary game yeah, in this one where the Spurs lucked into the final opportunity with Steph fouled out and Victor gassed after playing the entire fourth just let it fly from deep and hope for the win because OT looks grim.

 

[SupremeGuy]

What was up with Wemby trying to rebound and shoot at the same time? I hadn't seen him do that shit so often in one game. The whole team just felt off tonight.

 

[Hoopdreams11]

That was a blatant travel on Ant and wemby’s charge should habe been a block on shannon would have been nice to have a challenge on the block. Hope we don’t see this crew for the rest of the series

 

[Spurs Homer]

Now that we got past the first round with the 60 million dollar man it’s time to cut ties this offseason. Attach a pick, get a Collins type PF and a third C with the $$ and just retool for next year.

Absolutely pitiful that a no knees ant and depleted wolves team can come in here and drag their nuts all over us.

What happened to “spurs about to sweep?”

 

[SanAnSpursFan21]

Which is exactly why he’s got to cut out all the freestyling shit and lock in on a go-to move. His inability to hit even a simple midrange shot tonight was a killer.

He doesn’t have a plan on most of these drives, especially late. He’s relying on raw athleticism and I don’t care if he’s 8 ft tall, that doesn’t work against elite defenses in a high stakes playoff game. I agree, he’s got to be way more concentrated