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

[tearsofmorningdew]

Well he shouldn't have gotten the assignment. He got smoked every trip down the court until he got pulled. That's on Mitch

Fair. I think a big part of Mitch’s shortcomings is that he’s just too fresh/young. Doesn’t have the swag/gravitas/cachet to bench Fox for a half, ice out a cold 6moty etc

 

[LeBowen]

some of us have talked about the lack of PF for a long time to help Wemby in defense. Randle and Naz combined for 33 points and 19 rebounds. Champagnie had a good game but he is not enough

So fucking what if their 2nd and 3rd option combined for 33/19?
That's not where we lost the game.
Are you people living in some 2k world where you shut the entire team down and hold everyone to single digits?

The issue is that Conley and Shannon, their 4th and 5th options in the starting lineup, scored 28.
Guess who else scored 28? Castle and Fox.
That's the fucking issue.

I'm done before I get triggered by all these lack of PF takes.

 

[John B]

Mitch hit it in the head. The team was indecisive in the 1st half, and got better in the 2nd half. They had a great look but shots were not falling. Just need to keep attacking the rim when shots are not falling. Let’s get back! Let’s gooo!!

 

[Mugen]

It's a young team going against a battle tested group of vets in Minnesota tbh. Was never gonna be a cakewalk.

Got taught a lot of lessons this game and they have a lot to iron out. I'm curious to see how they respond in a must win Game 2.

 

[Ice009]

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

I agree. I might be a bit old school, but on this one, I'm from the Kobe school. If someone creates that open look for Champ, great, but I want my star players with the ball in their hands. In this case, Victor or Dylan. They should have decided the outcome of the game. If Champ gets an open shot off of them great, but if not, I want one of those two guys making the play or taking the shot.

 

[Dex]

Good look but Champ shouldn’t be our go to final shot guy. Mitch should have called a timeout.

My thoughts exactly.

Did Champ get a look? Yes.

But it was a rushed shot off a broken possession where he was probably wondering wtf am I shooting this? And we didnt need a three.

You’ve got the tallest guy in the damn building, draw up something for him

 

[Fabbs]

I already hate that guy shannon tbh
Game was there for the taking, but we play sloppy and shot really Bad, especially from 3 Fox looks scared right there, he is supossed to be one of the veterans of this team. I feel the pain fellas, but this Lost was needed if we want to improve, and be more ready for whats to come, i still think we are the better team, but we need to show it , we can't play right on their hands again, i think we make them look better than they are , imo

Fox's drives all the way to the rim were pretty successful tonight.
Mitch with zero adjustments waited far too long in watching Fox's bricks into the late 3rd Qtr.

 

[SickDSM]

very cool, looking forward to the wolves getting swept in the WCF if they somehow get past us

Been around Spurstalk calling it like I see it for 25 years and somehow the first time ever in a Spurs/Wolves postseason where I say MN don't belong in this series gets you jaded?

Guess i'll take it back, Keep shooting threes Victor and extend Mitch as long as you can.

 

[Ice009]

wemby put a great defensive show.

What a shit show on O. His problem of not having smarts yet to get to sweet spots has been greatly countered by Minny coach.

Mitch dont have an answer. He was just getting carried by a great defensive minded coach and greatest defender of all time with two top 5 picks.

But he did what he called Jokic out for. He played great on one end, but not MVP level on the other end.

 

[Kick-Stand]

It's not his fault they asked him to guard Ant for some retarded reason.

Minnesota was forcing the switch every time. At that point I think I'd rather just trap than leave Keldon on an island trying to guard Ant. Especially with DiVincenzo's season over.

 

[Mugen]

My thoughts exactly.

Did Champ get a look? Yes.

But it was a rushed shot off a broken possession where he was probably wondering wtf am I shooting this? And we did need a three.

You’ve got the tallest guy in the damn building, draw up something for him

Mitch would have drawn up an ATO where Vic gets the ball 25 feet away from the basket and has to dribble against Randle and McDaniels again tbh

 

[poopbox]

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

An open look with time running out isn't the same as an open look with plenty of time left. To me Champ rushed his shot, which he had to.

If you asked me "if I gave Champ 10 shots with 3 seconds left on the clock to win the game with no timeout called and he has to pump fake, relocate, and then shoot, how many will he make?" My answer would be "none".

If you asked me "if i gave Champ 10 shots out of a timeout with 3 second left to win the game, how many would he make?" My answer would be "at least one".

Also you know...we didn't actually need a 3 to win the game. Could have just tied it with a 2

 

[frenchfred]

So fucking what if their 2nd and 3rd option combined for 33/19?
That's not where we lost the game.
Are you people living in some 2k world where you shut the entire team down and hold everyone to single digits?

The issue is that Conley and Shannon, their 4th and 5th options in the starting lineup, scored 28.
Guess who else scored 28? Castle and Fox.
That's the fucking issue.

I'm done before I get triggered by all these lack of PF takes.

stay calm, I didn't aggress you.

When Wemby spends so much energy in defense he probably has less to get position in offense. Having another big to help him box out and guard other bigs would save some his energy.

 

[Kick-Stand]

Mitch would have drawn up an ATO where Vic gets the ball 25 feet away from the basket and has to dribble against Randle and McDaniels again tbh

Yeah but Fox would have blown up the play to take a contested brick three.

 

[The Big Brickowski]

Play Vick and Luke together like old times.

 

[Ice009]

Spurs can win in Minny but dang this game would have been nice to have. Need to bounce back with Wemby looking for his shot inside. waited too long to come off that fox rub and beeline to the basket. Wemby is smart guys, he hates losing, and will clean up his effort on offense. dont know what say about fox other than hes gotta play better. Series seems like it will go 6-7 games.

I am very confident the Spurs will win game two, but it's now a MUST WIN game. If they lose it, it could be a sweep. I am really confident they'll win game two, though.

 

[Raven_]

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

It was a triple off the dribble with 0.8 s remaining.. sub .400 any day of the week

 

[Trifecta]

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.

Can’t argue the insight on the Spurs coach (and staff) . This will be a series won on who takes advantage of the mismatches the best. Wemby would be more effective in the paint instead of jacking up so many 3s. Work the pick and roll with Harper or Castle (or Fox if he doesn’t turnover the ball).

 

[Rafa]

Mitch hit it in the head. The team was indecisive in the 1st half, and got better in the 2nd half. They had a great look but shots were not falling. Just need to keep attacking the rim when shots are not falling. Let’s get back! Let’s gooo!!

Where do you watch the full post games press? Online anywhere?

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Wemby did play 40 minutes. Just one day off. Get some rest young man because no excuses come Wednesday

 

[Spursgenius]

I think the shot was fine. The problem is I think Jules is very anti-clutch.


But it’s kind of a catch 22 when he was the only reason we were in that position. So we were also technically riding the “hot hand”.

yes his FT shooting at end of game is horrible for a reason. Those shots belong to Swipa, but he wasnt on today. I bet he makes that shot at end of game though.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

It was a triple off the dribble with 0.8 s remaining.. sub .400 any day of the week

It was a great look, you take it. Whatever it’s over with. We have to bounce back on Wednesday

 

[MannyIG]

It's a young team going against a battle tested group of vets in Minnesota tbh. Was never gonna be a cakewalk.

Got taught a lot of lessons this game and they have a lot to iron out. I'm curious to see how they respond in a must win Game 2.

This is true. And they fought back at the end - primarily because they drove the fucking ball - so its good that they figured that out. Or I hope they figured it out, I don't want to come back in game 2 and see the same bullshit we saw tonight. Its frustrating because they should have known better - IMO (they have a fucking week!!!) - but we knew that there were going to be things like this throughout the playoffs. I mean even the vet Spurs teams of the pasts had stupid games in the playoffs. It happens and the margins for victory are much thinner.

Also, I haven't talked about it because I was pretty annoyed with how they played this game and I think that is the most important thing here, but holy fuck the refs were hot garbage tonight. That is a factor in a close game, obviously.

 

[poopbox]

Lack of a big PF is glaring.

First thing we need to address in free agency. Randle could go for 40 on us if they really fed him the ball.

 

[Robz4000]

It's a young team going against a battle tested group of vets in Minnesota tbh. Was never gonna be a cakewalk.

Got taught a lot of lessons this game and they have a lot to iron out. I'm curious to see how they respond in a must win Game 2.

Wouldn't shock me if its another close loss tbh. Like you said though, plenty of lessons from this game and should be plenty more from this series. Unfortunately it might be a short series; if game 2 is close I think Minny wins again and this shit ends in 4.