San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a rating with guard Stephon Castle (5) in the course of the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball second-round playoffs series in Minneapolis, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
MINNEAPOLIS — Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds to focus on one other dominant performance from the San Antonio backcourt, and Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs raced past the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109 on Friday night to win the series in six games.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs. They’ll face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.
Wembanyama, who bounced back from his stunning Game 4 ejection with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks within the Game 5 blowout, was well-guarded by the Wolves in Game 6 and had a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. But he still served as a continuing defensive deterrent within the paint, and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition every time that they had the chance to run — which was often.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) in the course of the second half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball second-round playoffs series in Minneapolis, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The scale, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were an excessive amount of for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.
Castle made his first five 3-pointers and went 11 for 16 from the ground. Fox was 3 for 3 from deep, and Julian Champagnie made 4 3s amongst his 18 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Wolves by 97 points within the series and never once trailed by double digits.
Anthony Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got one other spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense. Julius Randle had just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.
This no-show within the elimination game might’ve felt familiar to Wolves fans, who’ve otherwise enjoyed an unprecedented run of success within the playoffs during the last three years.
Minnesota trailed by 33 points at halftime in a 30-point loss at Oklahoma City within the Game 5 ouster within the Western Conference finals last yr and were down by 29 points on the break to Dallas in losing the Western Conference finals in 2024 in a 21-point loss in Game 5.