The San Antonio Spurs played their first road game of the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and didn't lose stride at all after the road trip.
After blowing out the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of their second-round series, the San Antonio Spurs came out swinging in Game 3, although the Wolves matched them step for step. The Spurs ended up winning 115-108, taking a 2-1 series lead.
The Spurs were propelled by a Victor Wembanyama masterclass. The MVP candidate finished with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks.
Wembanyama's effort was especially impressive considering the foul trouble he found himself in. With six minutes left, he picked up his fifth foul, remained in the game, and closed things out for the Spurs.
If Wembanyama didn't enter the postseason as the best player in the world, he certainly has a rock-solid case now.
Wembanyama Took Control In Key Spurs' Win
The Wolves enjoyed an excellent 32 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists from Anthony Edwards in their loss, and the Spurs were helped by double-digit outings from Wemby, De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell, although it was the Wembanyama show, especially in the final frame.
Despite the foul trouble, Wemby finished with 16 fourth-quarter points, keeping the rallying Wolves at bay down the stretch. Minnesota got within a point in the final frame, although the Spurs successfully held them off.
Heading into the series, there was a lot of noise surrounding the mentor/mentee relationship between Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. The veteran did manage to reject a Wembanyama floater in the fourth quarter, and offered 13 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks of his own, although it's safe to say that the student has long since become the master.
While Wembanyama dominated the paint on defense, his ability to space the floor on offense was rather refreshing. While the Spurs as a whole have been the best 3-point shooting team in the postseason, Wembanyama has been lagging behind. He went five-of-six in his postseason debut against the Trail Blazers, but has since shot only 18.2 percent from deep.
In Game 3, he offered three-of-five shooting from behind the arc, far from an excellent outing by his standards, although it seems he finally got the shooting stroke down.
With a revamped and dominant Wembanyama totally unfazed by the rowdy Twin Cities' crowd, the Spurs should be heavy favorites to take a commanding 3-1 lead in Game 4 on Sunday, with coverage on NBC and Peacock.