For a series built around monsters, Game 4 finally turned into a full moon.
The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the San Antonio Spurs 114-109 on Sunday night, tying the Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2 after a night that swung hard in the second quarter, when Victor Wembanyama was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul after catching Naz Reid with an elbow while protecting the ball after a rebound. Wembanyama left with just four points in 12 minutes, and suddenly San Antonio had to play the rest of a playoff road game without the player who had just dropped 39 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in Game 3.
To the Spurs’ credit, they did not fold. De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper each scored 24 points, and San Antonio even carried a six-point lead into the fourth quarter, which was either impressive, alarming for Minnesota, or both. The Spurs had every excuse to disappear and instead turned the night into a street fight.
But Anthony Edwards closed like a star who had heard enough about everyone else. He scored 36 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, dragging Minnesota through the final stretch with the kind of force that makes a playoff series feel personal. The Wolves got the late stops, the key free throws, and just enough control in the chaos to protect home court.
Now the series heads back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday, tied 2-2 and carrying a little more heat than before. Wembanyama’s status will be watched closely, though Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said he did not believe the play was malicious or worthy of a suspension.
Four games in, Spurs-Wolves has become exactly what a second-round series should be: loud, strange, physical, emotional, and increasingly allergic to easy answers.
