NBA: Wembanyamas Spurs defeat the Wolves and will face the Thunder in the Western Conference finals

San Antonio defeated Minnesota (139-109) in the sixth game of the Western Conference semi-finals, with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks from the French center.

The San Antonio Spurs of Victor Wembanyama dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday with a score of 139-109, winning the series 4-2 and advancing to the Western Conference finals where they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder. In his first playoffs at the end of his third NBA season, Victor Wembanyama (22 years old) is leading his young team at an electrifying pace to the Western Conference finals, a level not reached by the Texan franchise since 2017.

After a warm-up in the first round against Portland (4-1), San Antonio defeated Minnesota in the second round (4-2), a solid NBA team that had reached two conference finals. Starting Monday, the Texans will have to raise their intensity to challenge Oklahoma City, the reigning champion and season favorite.

The showdown in the Western Conference will also feature a star duel between Victor Wembanyama and Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP who, like the Frenchman, is one of the three finalists for the MVP award. “Wemby,” with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks, successfully eliminated the Wolves, taking advantage of a strong start to the game. After winning the first quarter 36-27, the Spurs scored 20 unanswered points to take a 29-point lead.

Not giving up, the Timberwolves rallied around their All-Star guard Anthony Edwards, who scored 24 points, 19 of them before halftime, cutting the Spurs’ lead to 13 points (74-61) at one point. However, a perfectly executed third quarter allowed the Spurs to widen the gap again and even rest their starters towards the end of the game.

San Antonio dominated the rebound battle (68 to 46) and showcased strong defense at times, while also using multiple offensive threats to score. The defensive impact of Victor Wembanyama, named best defender of the year, was evident by the performance of his compatriot and direct opponent under the basket, Rudy Gobert, who did not score any points on Friday.

As the face of the franchise, “Wemby” has already overcome his ejection in a previous game and on Friday, he did not need to force anything due to the talented backcourt and the remarkable performance of Stephon Castle, the best player of the match with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. After struggling at the bottom of the standings for several seasons, the San Antonio Spurs are experiencing a calculated but impressive resurgence, supported by players like All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, the “6th man of the year” Keldon Johnson, long-range shooters Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, and the hot rookie Dylan Harper.

The upcoming Western Conference finals against the Thunder provide an opportunity for the Spurs to add another glorious chapter to their franchise, which has won the championship five times under the leadership of Gregg Popovich (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014). On the other hand, after two consecutive Western Conference finals appearances, the Timberwolves, missing starter Donte DiVincenzo for the past three weeks due to an Achilles tendon rupture, are facing a setback, surpassed by the vigor of the Spurs.