Timberwolves best Spurs 117-110 to open in-season tournament play

The Timberwolves’ 117-110 win in San Antonio showcased yet another positive sign for their remarkable 6-2 start to the season:

This marked the Wolves’ first road win and their fifth consecutive victory. Despite a sloppy first quarter and a faltering fourth, the team managed to secure a win on Friday.

The team’s success was largely due to two standout players:

Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 29 points with 12 rebounds, and:

Anthony Edwards, who clinched nine of his 28 points in the final quarter, including four crucial free throws in the last 81 seconds.

In the first NBA matchup between towering French centers Rudy Gobert (11 and 10) and San Antonio’s first-year sensation Victor Wembanyama (29 and nine with four blocks), the victory went to the rookie.

This win also marked the opening of the NBA’s in-season tournament. Each conference is divided into five teams, with the Wolves competing in a group with Sacramento, Golden State, Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

Karl-Anthony Towns mentioned in a post-game TV interview, “We buckled down at the end. We found ways to make shots. The in-season tournament definitely brought a different energy to this.”

Pool play involves four games – two on the road and two at home – against teams in their pool. These games all count toward regular season records. Eight teams will advance to single-elimination play, including each pool winner and the next-best record in each conference, with the semi-finals and finals taking place in Las Vegas.

Although the Wolves faced a turnover-filled first quarter and almost relinquished a 17-point lead in the fourth, they managed to secure a 1-0 lead in the competition.

The game-changing 25-9 run began with Mike Conley’s three-pointer 7.6 seconds before the end of the second quarter and concluded with Towns’ drive in the third. Towns led the charge with 13 points in the Wolves’ 34-19 third quarter.

Coach Chris Finch acknowledged that the team didn’t play their best, stating, “We got off to an indifferent start. Thought we were super sloppy, not locked in. Then we found a combination of guys there in the second quarter that kind of sparked us.”

The Spurs (3-6) mounted a comeback, with Devin Vassell scoring 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter. The game wasn’t sealed until Conley’s two free throws with 25.9 seconds left on the clock.

Minnesota’s bench contributed 28 points, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker scoring nine points, three rebounds, and four assists. Naz Reid scored seven before leaving the game due to a neck injury.

Coach Finch emphasized the need to improve game finishing, stating, “We have to do better. That game goes two minutes longer we might not win.”

Ultimately, the Wolves demonstrated resilience and managed to secure the win, a vast improvement from an earlier loss in Atlanta where they squandered a 21-point lead.

Finch stressed the importance of maintaining composure under pressure, saying, “But we managed to find enough plays to stave ’em off. But we have to be mindful of not putting ourselves in that situation.”

After the game, Wembanyama’s remarkable performance dominated discussions. Finch praised the rookie’s potential, while Gobert, a mentor to the youngster, expressed his satisfaction with Wembanyama’s development.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.