The Target Center shook tonight. I watched Minnesota snatch a game that felt gone. Down 19 in the third, the Timberwolves clawed back and beat the Spurs 104-103. One point decided it. Every possession mattered. The crowd roared like spring in a frozen city.
A 19 point hole, a one point win
This was a cold start and a blazing finish. San Antonio set the tone early with clean half court sets and steady shot making. The Spurs moved the ball and forced Minnesota into jumpers. The Wolves trailed big, then found life. The push began late in the third, picked up steam in the fourth, and exploded in the final minutes.
San Antonio had a chance to steal it back at the end. The Spurs set up for the last shot after a scramble rebound. They got a look they liked. It did not fall. Minnesota secured the board as the buzzer sounded. The win felt like a statement, not just a sigh of relief.
Final: Timberwolves 104, Spurs 103. Minnesota erased a 19 point deficit with defense, poise, and late game shot making.
How Minnesota flipped the script
The Wolves tightened their screws on defense. They pushed the ball handler higher, crowded passing lanes, and turned stops into runouts. Anthony Edwards set the tone with force. He attacked the rim, drew help, and kicked to shooters. Karl-Anthony Towns spaced the floor, then punished mismatches inside. Rudy Gobert controlled the glass and guarded the paint with discipline.
Jaden McDaniels was a quiet star in the middle of the floor. His length bothered drives and erased clean angles. Mike Conley steadied everything. His pace, especially late, was a shield against panic. Minnesota found balance. They went side to side, made the Spurs defend for a full clock, then took the best shot on the floor.
The difference was trust. Minnesota trusted the next pass. The Wolves also trusted their identity, a top tier defense that creates offense. Once the crowd fed them, confidence followed. Every cut was sharper. Every rotation had bite. And every Spurs mistake felt heavier.
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What the collapse says about San Antonio
San Antonio showed growth, then felt the pain that comes with youth. The Spurs owned the early stages with patient offense and sharp timing. Victor Wembanyama changed shots at the rim and flashed skill in space. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson found good rhythm. Tre Jones kept the tempo where San Antonio wanted it.
But the fourth quarter exposed their late game cracks. The Spurs struggled to get two feet in the paint when the Wolves switched and crowded. Second chance points dried up. A few live ball turnovers turned into quick Minnesota points. The final sets were a beat slow, and small mistakes stacked up fast.
This is part of the climb. The Spurs must learn how to value every late possession. That means strong screens, deep cuts, and better spacing under pressure. It also means trusting Wembanyama as a hub and refusing to settle when the game speeds up. The pieces are there. The consistency is not, yet.
Late game reps matter most in January. San Antonio’s film from tonight should be a teaching tool for April and beyond.
What this means in the West
In a midseason grind, this one lands with weight. Minnesota protected home court and proved, again, that it can win ugly. This was Game 40 on the slate, and it looked like playoff basketball. The Wolves showed patience against a young, hungry team that punched first. They answered with defense and star control.
For the Spurs, this stings. It also reveals a path forward. Hold the ball longer in contact. Finish plays with body at the rim. Trust the pass when the first option gets walled off. The foundation is solid, and the ceiling remains high with Wembanyama’s two way growth.
Here are the key takeaways from a wild night:
- Minnesota’s defense won the fourth, not just shot making.
- Edwards dictated tempo, then trusted teammates to close.
- Gobert’s rim protection flipped drives into jumpers.
- San Antonio’s late game execution must sharpen under pressure.
The last two minutes
The atmosphere felt like May. Every whistle drew a gasp. Every rebound drew a roar. Minnesota got the final stop. San Antonio will think about the final miss on the flight out. This is how a season teaches.
The bottom line
I watched a contender steady itself under fire, and a young roster learn a hard lesson. The Timberwolves 104, the Spurs 103. One more notch in Minnesota’s belt, one more reminder that San Antonio is close, but not there yet. Nights like this shape who you are when the lights get brighter. Tonight, the Wolves owned the moment. The Spurs will get another shot, and they will be tougher when they do. 🏀
