The San Antonio Spurs suffered a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, struggling offensively with poor performances from Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.
May 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson talks with forward Victor Wembanyama in the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game 1 of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center.
| Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images SAN ANTONIO — As soon as Victor Wembanyama heard the sigh of the crowd, he untucked his jersey, trotted to the sideline and patted his sharpshooter on the back.would have won their fourth straight playoff fame and taken a 1-0 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Instead, they left empty-handed facing an early deficit.
"Missed a shot," Champagnie said, speaking on his final 3-pointer in Game 1, adding that it felt "solid" coming off his hands. "That's all I got. On to the next.
" The Spurs had much more to point to beyond a missed 3-pointer at the final buzzer on Monday night. Between Wembanyama's 11 points and De'Aaron Fox's six turnovers, offensive struggles sank any chance they had at protecting home court.
“We know when we play bad and when we play well,” Fox told reporters in the locker room following the loss. “I don't need to hear it from somebody else. "May 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama walks up the court in the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game 1 of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center.
| Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Per NBA's advanced analytics, the Spurs created open shots on 61 of their 87 shot attempts in Game 1. Wembanyama and Fox combining to shoot 10-for-31 from the field with 21 points would not have led any viewer to that conclusion, which raises a few questions. Is Minnesota suffocating enough on defense to force a plethora of missed shots? Did the added physcality disrupt both players' natural shooting motions?
"I have to use my energy, obviously, on one side of the court. " he said. "On the other side, I used too much energy on things that didn't really help our team. " Each time Wembanyama attempted a block — he accrued an NBA playoff record 12 in Game 1 — pieces of his legs went with him.
Several of the 7-footer's shots came up short, preventing the Spurs from adding points to their otherwise successful transition attack. Fox, who led San Antonio with six turnovers, preferred to shoulder the blame himself. As the Spurs' resident max point guard, he acknowledged his own expectations.
"It wasn't really anything that they did,” the 27-year-old said in the locker room. “I mean, that’s a good defensive team. But this game in particular, I think it was all me. ” May 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox brings the ball up the court in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center.
| Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Stephon Castle was the first to give Minnesota credit for its defensive prowess. Having watched his two stars score at will all season, Monday night marked a change of pace.
"They defended like that all year," Castle said. "For , they didn't have good shooting nights, but I expect them to be better. "“I have no concern over De’Aaron Fox or Victor Wembanyama’s box score,” the coach said, doubling down on his confidence. “They'll be better.
We'll be better for them. ”With Anthony Edwards coming off the bench , they caught a break from the league's third-best scorer. And if not for their supporting cast, Game 1 may have slipped away much sooner. Considering that, the Spurs will prepare for Game 2 by refocusing on executing the game plan they've relied on all season rather than overhauling it.
"I feel like ... pounding and pounding at the game plan is the biggest thing for us," Dylan Harper said. "Just stick to our principles, playing our brand of basketball. " This season, that's meant turning to Wembanyama and Fox in a close game. Wednesday night will be no different, lest the Spurs risk changing their identity.
Perhaps, in that regard, they have no choice but to feed the ball to their two stars.
“Obviously, we have to be better,” Wembanyama said. “We need to figure out what we can do better, and I got no doubt that we will. I mean, I trust us. ”Loading recommendations...
Please wait while we load personalized content recommendationsMatt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI. In the world of professional sports, he’s a firm believer that athletes are people, too. He aims to spotlight the true, behind-the-scenes character of players and teams through strong narrative writing and sharp, hooking ledes.
NBA San Antonio Spurs Minnesota Timberwolves Victor Wembanyama Basketball
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Where do you go to cheer on the Spurs? Let us know on KSAT Connect!Alexis Scott asks Spurs fans about their favorite San Antonio spots to watch the game.
Read more »
Blocks, Bricks, and a Big 4th Quarter: How the Wolves Beat the Spurs In Game 1Minnesota hobbled into San Antonio and sent the Spurs a significant message in Game 1.
Read more »
Timberwolves vs. Spurs Opening Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 2 (San Antonio Favored to Even Series)Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs opening odds for NBA Playoffs Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6.
Read more »
Two Weeks After Disrespecting Timberwolves, Colin Cowherd says Timberwolves Are Disrespected'In the packed Western Conference, they've gone to back-to-back Western Conference finals. They lead the Spurs, with Wemby, 1-0 and we treat them like the Pelicans,' said Cowherd.
Read more »
Will Timberwolves Have Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu for Game 2 vs. Spurs?Edwards played 25 minutes off the bench in Game 1, while Dosunmu missed a second straight game.
Read more »
TONIGHT: San Antonio Spurs look to bounce back in Game 2 vs. TimberwolvesSAN ANTONIO - If there is a silver lining for Spurs fans after Game 1, it is this: That kind of shooting night is not likely to happen again.Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox combined to go 0-for-12 from three and 10-fo
Read more »