Spurs drop late-game thriller to the Timberwolves

12/30/2024 12:14 AM

San Antonio can't overcome a poor quarter as they lose to Minnesota.

Winning an NBA game isn't about being perfect. Mistakes will happen, but you must minimize them or make your opponent commit more of them in order to escape the jaws of defeat. The San Antonio Spurs were so close to overcoming an imperfect second quarter but narrowly lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-110.

The Spurs jumped out to a 33-25 lead in the first quarter as the Wolves struggled to make shots from deep. Things swung in the other direction quickly during the second quarter. Minnesota went with a small ball lineup that played fast, pressured the Spurs' ball handlers, and knocked down threes. That group was led by Donte DiVincenzo, who led the Wolves in scoring with 26 points. He made big play after big play on both ends – hitting big threes and getting key deflections in crunch time.

Meanwhile, the Spurs failed to create hardly any offense in the second quarter. They shot 4-21 from the field in the second, and if not for a prayer three by Harrison Barnes at the buzzer, they would have scored single-digit points. This is the second straight game the Spurs have scored under 13 points in a quarter after putting up 11 in the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

San Antonio found itself going into halftime down 15 points. That's when Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama took over. Wembanyama was unstoppable in the second half, scoring 24 of his 34 points. He scored at all three levels, making the Wolves pay for playing smaller defenders on him in the post. Vassell finally started to find a grove, attacking the basket to supplement his sweet jump shot. He finished with 22 points on 8-14 shooting from the field. With their scoring avalanche, the Spurs were able to claw back from down 16 points and tie the game heading into the fourth.

San Antonio lept out to an 8-0 run to start the final frame but couldn't keep the Wolves out of the paint long enough to keep the lead. Minnesota outscored the Spurs in the paint 60-40 and out-rebounded them 56-41. They crushed San Antonio on the offensive glass, grabbing 18 rebounds, many of them in the fourth quarter.

Despite that, the Spurs were able to take the game to its final possession. After Wembanyama missed a potential game-tying free throw, the Spurs quickly fouled DiVincenzo with 12 seconds to go. The Wolves' leading scorer missed the front end of his free throws and gave San Antonio a chance to tie it.

Chris Paul inbounded the ball to Wembanyama, who was meant to receive an inverted pick and roll screen from Paul. The Wolves blew up the play by physically switching and shutting down the initial action. The ball swung to Paul, who needed to improvise. He received another screen from Wembanyama and, as the defense collapsed, kicked it to the opposite wing, where the Spurs had an advantage. Jeremy Sochan caught the ball with DiVincenzo rushing out to contest. He had a decision to make with only 3 seconds on the clock – fire a three or make a tough pass to the wide-open Barnes (who had 24 points, including three triples) in the corner. Sochan shot the ball, and it clanked hard off the backboard.

The Spurs fall back to .500 at 16-16 after the loss. They are a half game in front of the Phoenix Suns for the last spot in the Western Conference playoff picture. They'll host the tough Los Angeles Clippers on New Years Eve. The Clippers are 18-13, beat San Antonio earlier this season, and may be getting their best player and former Spur, Kawhi Leonard, any day now.