Anthony Edwards’ contested runner off the glass flipped a 19-point hole into a 104-103 Minnesota win, but the bigger story is San Antonio’s fourth-quarter offense vanishing again—dropping them from the West’s 2-seed to a tie for 5th in three weeks.
How Minnesota Flipped a 19-Point Nightmare
The Timberwolves didn’t score for the first 4:39 and trailed 16-0 before the game’s first made basket. By early in the third quarter San Antonio’s lead peaked at 19. Then Minnesota unleashed a 57-35 close that mirrored their post-Thanksgiving surge—now 16-6 since Turkey Day and within a half-game of the West’s top seed.
Edwards finished with 23 points, but the ignition came from Donte DiVincenzo’s 19 off the bench and a zone busting 14-2 run that featured back-to-back Naz Reid triples. Reid’s 17-point, 11-rebound double-double was the first Wolves center not named Gobert to post a 15-10 line against the Spurs since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2022.
Wembanyama Wins the Box Score, Loses the Chess Match
Victor Wembanyama’s return from a Dec. 31 knee hyperextension was electric: 29 points, 7 boards, 3 steals and a +17 in 27 minutes. He even outplayed four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert on both ends, swatting two Gobert hooks and drilling a step-back three in the 7-footer’s face.
Yet on the final possession coach Gregg Popovich cleared the floor for Wembanyama to attack Julius Randle. Randle—playing through a bruised right wrist—chest-bumped Wemby off his spot, forcing a contested 16-footer that rattled out. It was the Spurs’ third isolation for Wembanyama in the final two minutes; the previous two ended in a turnover and a blocked floater. The Wolves dared him to beat them from mid-range and the rookie couldn’t convert, dropping San Antonio’s clutch-time offensive rating to 28th in the league since Christmas.
Spurs’ Fourth-Quarter Ghosts Return
Minnesota’s win wasn’t luck—it was trend. San Antonio has now lost four games in January after leading inside the final four minutes, squandering double-digit fourth-quarter advantages versus Denver, Sacramento and now Minnesota. The common thread: a scoring drought of at least 2:30 in each collapse.
- vs Denver – 3:12 without a field goal, lost 112-111
- vs Kings – 2:45 drought, blew 11-point lead
- at Wolves – 3:04 scoreless, 9-point edge erased
Popovich post-game: “We’re getting the looks we want, we’re just not making them. That’s on me to find a cleaner way to attack late.”
What the Standings Say Today
The loss shaves San Antonio’s cushion. Entering Sunday the Spurs sat second at 27-11; after tip they’re 27-12 and tied with Houston for fifth, just one game clear of seventh-place Dallas. Minnesota jumps to 26-14, percentage points behind Denver for the 3-seed and owning the tie-breaker over both the Spurs and the Clippers.
Short-Handed Wolves Keep Rolling Without Finch
Chris Finch missed the game with a non-COVID illness, handing the clipboard to lead assistant Micah Nori. The Wolves are now 5-1 when Nori takes primary duties, including wins over Boston and Milwaukee. The staff simplified the late-game playbook: one high pick-and-roll, two shooters in the corners, Edwards attacks. It’s produced 1.28 points per possession in clutch time since Finch’s first absence, third-best in the NBA over that span.
Next Up
Spurs fly to Oklahoma City for a Tuesday tilt that now feels like a must-win if they want to stay clear of the play-in. Wolves visit Milwaukee the same night, chasing a sixth straight victory that would match their longest streak since 2004.
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