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

[KDKSpurs24]

They won't make changes if they get swept tbh. They never wanted to win this season, but its been abundantly clear Mitch isn't it at HC for a while now.

It’s not about the damn HC in this case/matchup. We don’t have the personnel. If we had a REAL PF with size in the rotation this game doesn’t play out the way it did with all of those mismatches for Randle. But we don’t even have one on the team so we have to live with what we have and the HC has to do what he can.

 

[Trainwreck2100]

Champ missed that shot cause he rushed it open or not he wasn't ready to take it, a timeout should have been called when they lost a second not knowing a timeout wasn't going to be called

 

[amans]

CB is injured

Ya I missed that, but in my mind it’s still kinda the same cuz Mitch wasn’t even playing him in the last 2 games of the Portland series anyway… he probably would not have played him knowing Mitch

 

[Arguendo]

Listening to Vic's postgame interview, he realizes he was out of control, frantic "I used that (offense) energy in ways that didn't help the team" but it really doesn't sound like he gets that repeatedly jacking bad 3 attempts was a massive massive problem.
I can start by making shots? Dude, you made every shot when you went to the hoop and missed every one of the stupid pull up 3s. Stop chucking up bullshit and take it to the fucking hole.
Learn from Harper, learn from Keldon. Attack the rim then use to 3 to open it up, not the other way around. Fuck dude.

 

[LeBowen]

The 2nd half turnovers were extremely frustrating because they were just stupid passes and lack of concentration plays. This team wasn't prepared tonight. Fitch came in with a game plan despite not being the one with a week to go.

We're never prepared to start the game off. We're acting as if we're by far the best team in the league and noone can hurt us.
Blazers would've won more than one game if they weren't so offensively challenged and couldn't shoot for shit.

I just can't emphasize how much I am disappointed in what we saw out of the Spurs offensively and I'm not talking about shooting percentages. I have defended this team all year from unfair criticism but tonight Wemby and Mitch are the worst offenders. Fox looked lost at times too, but I put that more on Mitch than Fox.

Also for the love of god please do not have Castle slow dibble up against McDaniels pressure. We have options. We do not need to do that.

Our offense hasn't been good in the playoffs, it's just that our defense enabled a lot of transition and open floor looks.
Timberwolves focused on shutting the transition down and watched us kill ourselves in half court.

Much like a week ago, I'll say it's really frustrating that we're not running any plays for Champ and Devin. I guess Devin gets a couple, but that's it.
We've reduced two great off the ball movers to spot up roles and flow of the offense shots, which don't happen often when the other two perimeter players aren't good shooters.

My only frustration with Wemby is that he's not taking any of those let's call them LMA catch and shoot mid-range shots. He can't get to the rim in half court, they just have too much size and chucking 3s out of frustration isn't the way to go.

We're now basically playing with our season on the line, losing both home games isn't something you come back from.

 

[Itzsoweezee]

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

The Knicks. But the wolves are a close second

 

[Dbreiden83080]

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.

Yep and you really see the immaturity of this team as these playoffs are going on here. Really bad passes, really bad shots, disorganized
offense, etc. This is definitely the worst version of this team We will see in the coming years. Assuming healthy

 

[scott]

Wide open look for a Champ catch and shoot? Maybe, but I'm not even sure tht's true. That's a 40% ish shot, so you take that and your chance of victory is 40%. A contest two from Wemby is a higehr perecentage shot, and you have a chance you also draw a foul. But of course, that doesn't mean you win every time you go to OT. Do you win 40% of the time with that? I think you do.

BUT IT WASN'T A WIDE OPEN CATCH AND SHOOT CHAMP 3!!!! It was a dribble step back, which was uncontested, but is a much lower percentage shot in the 2nd quarter and in the 4th of a playoff game from Champ? Yeah its even lower.

People keep saying "wide open 3" but that's not really what it was.

It was a wide open shot, that’s he’s drilled a number of times. I don’t know what you saw from Wemby tonight to think whatever he would have attempted against a set defense would have been better… but we’ll never know.

This all feels like second guessing going for 2 for the win instead of kicking the XP for OT, because the 2pt play failed to convert.

We can’t do the math, because we don’t know what shot a set play would have yielded… so we can’t all just argue until we’re blue in the face… but I’m very happy happy giving the guy who’s shooting 50+% from 3 in these playoffs an open look at a shot he’s made plenty of times before (including in this same game)

 

[SpurPadre]

Call me a traditionalist and I admit I vibe better with Pop and Big 3 era ball but I still think today’s game should adhere to the tried and true: go for the tie to take it to OT at home and you go for the GW three on the road. The best way to have done that would have been calling a timeout and draw up a play for the guy everyone calls The Alien, who didn’t have his shot all night but had shown us how easily he could get a shot off down low. Not good coaching there.

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

too many choir boys on our team btw. need a bowen type. For as much as I can’t stand Dort teams dont get cute with OKC because he sets the tone. we had that in sochan but gave it up for…vibes?

 

[MannyIG]

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

It is NOT a great look. That is kinda the point! Its a dribble step back 3! When has that been a great look for Champ? When did he become a good step back shooter? The Spurs best person shooting step back 3s is Fox and almost everyone here is annoyed when he does it which should tell you how good that shot actually is.

 

[Arguendo]

Champ missed that shot cause he rushed it open or not he wasn't ready to take it, a timeout should have been called when they lost a second not knowing a timeout wasn't going to be called

Or Harper should've just gone right to the hoop, make, miss, foul. However it played out, Harp was electric attacking and that's how we should've closed it.

 

[Spurminator]

Y'all go cleanse your pallets by watching some 2014 playoff losses. It's going to be okay.

 

[SickDSM]

Wemby just doesnt have a developed offensive game yet. Kind of frustrating to see him still play like an out of control baby giraffe throwing up random shots to see what hits. I really can't believe he still takes the ball off the dribble at the 3 pt line even if it worked out a couple times.

Would think by his third year, he would know how to get to his spots better and not just at the 3 pt line. And obviously getting 12 blocks in a game tires him out.

In his defense the whole Sochan running point era wasn't much of a learning opportunity for him.

 

[Fabbs]

I'm seriously so baffled that so many of you think this game was about of lack of defense or size lol.

Did you enjoy seeing Randle back down Vassell and KJ in the 4th for key hoops?

 

[Dbreiden83080]

It is NOT a great look. That is kinda the point! Its a dribble step back 3! When has that been a great look for Champ? When did he become a good step back shooter? The Spurs best person shooting step back 3s is Fox and almost everyone here is annoyed when he does it which should tell you how good that shot actually is.

Most people seem to think it was a pretty good luck. You don’t fine. Move on. It was a very makeable shot for him.

 

[Rafa]

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”.

I’m conflicted all around because:

1. I like a timeout. A good team takes a time out
2. I feel like we win in OT, I take a well drawn up play for 2
3. We are so young and honestly looked lost when we got the board
4. We are also a terrible out of timeout team. We never have a well drawn up play that’s also well executed
5. We actually ended up with a descent look anyway
6. Julz earned that shot
7. Nobody else was making shots anyway so high chance whoever gets the drawn up play misses

All these things are true tbh. I’m ok with the outcome and julz getting the shot for it

 

[John B]

Wemby is right to say, he doesn’t know the “silver lining” on Fox/Wemby combined 21 pts, come on dumb question

 

[Ice009]

The worst part about these games is them ending at 12:30am East cost time leaving me all worked up before sleep :lol

I don't know how you guys can sleep after tough losses like this. It's 12:30pm here, so I got the rest of the day to cool off.

 

[SpursFan86]

Given Harper’s success at getting to the rim tonight, I would’ve liked to see him take it and at least hope for a foul or maybe a putback. That being said I don’t hate the final shot we ended up with and I don’t fully remember the exact possession so…yeah. That last possession hurt but it’s the least of my frustration tbh.

 

[Spurminator]

Did you enjoy seeing Randle back down Vassell and KJ in the 4th for key hoops?

Wouldn't have mattered if the offense wasn't ass.

Randle scored 21. It's not like he dominated the game. Some of y'all's takes are colder than the Spurs offense after a week off.

And so predictable.

 

[Snake Eyes]

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

I think the best thing is just ignore that troll. Mute or do not respond.

 

[The Truth #6]

Terrence Shannon played great the game before. This dude is going to somehow Jaren Jackson his way into a bigger contract.

 

[Arguendo]

I don't care who loses allot of their minutes (preferably Fox) but Harper needs to be given major minutes, he's earned it and I also think he is the man for this series

Fox should've been benched. Dude was brutal until Steph got that BS foul on Randle.

 

[amans]

Yeah, no good loss. But a great learning experience. Vic should be humbled and embarrassed going 0-8 from deep, crazy he did it with one of the best D performances ever.
I think Steph learned what calls he's not gonna get and what (bs) he will be called for.

All those mistakes, bad decisions, out of control play, and we win if either Vic or Fox just hit one more shot. They won't go 10-31, 0-12, with 9 TOs again. Both played terrible on O and we were still right there, like one BS foul call away from taking it.
Learn and grow.

He should have learnt that the previous series, no excuses to not know how bad the refs have been. The first quarter challenge was just a terrible choice by Mitch, can’t waste a challenge like that in the first quarter of a playoff game