The Minnesota Timberwolves have tested the Spurs with physical play and an in-your-face attitude, and the Spurs responded in a resounding Game 5 win.
After the San Antonio Spurs lost Game 4 of their second-round series to the Minnesota Timberwolves, all eyes were on Victor Wembanyama. Would he be suspended for elbowing Naz Reid in the face, and if not, how would he respond in front of his hometown fans?
27 points, 17 rebounds, and a 126-97 Spurs' win seemed to answer the question. The Spurs are up 3-2 heading into Friday's Game 5 showdown, and they know they will have to set the tone early.
After Wembanyama was ejected from Game 4, Wolves' guard Ayo Dosunmu got physical with both De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper, and both of the Spurs' floor generals were listed on the injury report heading into Game 5. Neither of them missed the contest, but now they are fully aware that they need to beat Minnesota to the first punch.
De'Aaron Fox Urges Spurs to Set the Tone
In Game 6 on Friday, in front of a rabid Minnesota crowd, the Spurs will need to come out of the gate swinging.
"In the games that we've won, I think we've been able to hit first," Fox said. "We know what type of team that they are."
The "type of team that they are?" Fox made it clear that the Spurs need to stoop down to the Wolves' level, and he doesn't seem to mind doing the dirty work. In the first round, he got chippy with Deni Avdija and seems ready to bring that energy to the second round.
"It's not like doing anything dirty or anything like that, but just trying to keep them out of the paint, keep them off the offensive glass," he clarified. "And that's what we did extremely well. I think before tonight, they were averaging like 20, 25 second-chance points. And that was one of the key things that we needed to take away, just take away their offensive rebounds. And I think we did an extremely good job at that tonight."
The Spurs outrebounded the Wolves in Game 5, 50-42, and only gave up ten offensive boards.
Between Fox, Stephon Castle, and Carter Bryant, the Spurs have ample "enforcers," and look for them to try to get the first lick in on Friday, shutting down the Wolves before they can even get started.