Victor Wembanyama bounced back in style after a difficult first game of the Western Conference semi-finals, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a crushing 133-95 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Game 1, which the Spurs lost 102-104 at home, the French star struggled badly, shooting just 5-for-17 from the field and missing all eight of his three-point attempts. This time, Wembanyama delivered 19 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 7-for-15 overall and 2-for-7 from beyond the arc.
The victory also extended San Antonio’s remarkable consistency, as the Spurs have now gone 49 games without suffering back-to-back defeats since January 11.
San Antonio already held a seven-point lead after the first quarter and entered halftime up by 24. At one stage, the advantage reached an astonishing 47 points. Stephon Castle finished as the team’s leading scorer with 21 points, while De’Aaron Fox added 16. Seven Spurs players, including the entire starting lineup, scored in double figures.
Knicks take control
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks followed up their dominant 137-98 opening win over the Philadelphia 76ers with a tougher 108-102 victory in Game 2.
With the score tied at 99, Jalen Brunson took over the game, scoring back-to-back baskets as part of a decisive 9-0 run that turned a 96-99 deficit into a 105-99 lead that the Knicks never surrendered. Brunson finished with 26 points.
The 76ers clearly felt the absence of Joel Embiid, who missed the game through injury after playing a decisive role in the previous round against the Celtics. Unlike the opening game of the series, this contest remained balanced throughout, featuring 25 lead changes, 14 ties, and no team leading by more than seven points.
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