Victor Wembanyama’s vicious elbow to Naz Reid’s neck earned him a Flagrant 2 ejection on Sunday, and the San Antonio Spurs paid a heavy price, losing 114-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The defeat knots the NBA Western Conference semifinals at 2-2.
Wembanyama was tossed after delivering a violent and dangerous blow to Reid with 8:39 left in the second quarter. The French rookie, making his first playoff appearance, managed just four points and four rebounds before being sent off.
Without their star, the Spurs leaned on Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper to keep the game close through three quarters. But Anthony Edwards took over in the fourth, scoring 16 of his 36 points to fuel a massive Timberwolves comeback. Edwards shot 13-of-22 from the field, adding six rebounds and two assists.
De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper each poured in 24 points for San Antonio, while Castle contributed 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists. The Spurs led 94-86 early in the fourth quarter before Minnesota unleashed a 9-2 run that flipped the momentum.
The final minutes were gripping. The Wolves pushed ahead 107-101 with 1:50 remaining, but the Spurs refused to fold. Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid imposed their will in the paint, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds to create valuable second-chance opportunities.
In the last minute, San Antonio cut the deficit to three and nearly forced a possession that could have given them the final shot. But a stifling Timberwolves defense forced the Spurs to inbound from half-court. Ayo Dosunmu saved the day with an acrobatic catch—using his leg to secure the ball in a play straight out of the NFL—preventing a catastrophic turnover.
The Spurs had to foul, and Dosunmu calmly sank the free throws to seal the win, knotting the series at 2-2 and swinging momentum firmly back to Minnesota.
