Timberwolves 114, Spurs 109: Three Takeaways After Anthony Edwards Leads Comeback to Tie NBA Playoff Series

Victor Wembanyama was hit with a flagrant 2 and ejected from Sunday's game with just four points.

Anthony Edwards played the hero for the Timberwolves in a fourth-quarter comeback in Game 4 against the Spurs. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

We’re all tied up after a thriller in the Twin Cities.

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves trailed for much of the fourth quarter, but the hobbled superstar guard, who missed the end of Minnesota’s first-round series with a knee injury, wasn’t leaving his home court without a win.

Edwards scored 36 points on 13-of-22 from the floor, knocking down 3-of-5 threes. His knee still isn’t 100%, he admitted after the game, but even with his famous explosiveness limited, he is a gutsy shotmaker who is never afraid of the moment. Edwards scored 16 fourth-quarter points, helping the Wolves claw back against the Spurs.

San Antonio was without Victor Wembanyama for the balance of the game after he elbowed Naz Reid. He played just 12 minutes, scoring four points with four rebounds early on before his exit.

Even so, the Spurs put together an impressive game, with De’Aaron Fox making big buckets, Stephon Castle putting together another efficient game, and Dylan Harper tying for the team lead with 24 points off the bench. But it wasn’t enough to topple Anthony Edwards.

Could the NBA suspend Victor Wembanyama? 

Victor Wembanyama was assessed a flagrant 2 and ejected for elbowing Naz Reid during Game 4 of the Spurs at Timberwolves. | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Wembanyama was assessed a flagrant 2 in the second quarter and ejected after he elbowed Naz Reid in the neck. Although the Spurs held strong and took a lead into the fourth quarter, Wemby’s absence certainly had an incredible impact on the game. He played just 12 minutes and had four points and four rebounds before he was tossed.

It was the first ejection of Wemby’s career and came in way too critical of a spot. He has to hold his emotions in check as the league will now review the incident to determine whether any additional punishment is warranted. In addition to the automatic ejection, he will receive a minimum $2,000 fine and two points in the league’s system for flagrant fouls. A Flagrant 1 is one point and four total points is a one-game suspension.

It’s unlikely that a similar incident will happen that would get Wemby toward an automatic suspension based on the NBA’s point system, but the league office can levy additional repercussions if deemed appropriate. It’s likely that he receives a more significant fine and less likely that he’s suspended after the league’s review, but both avenues remain possible as punishments. Although the Spurs can win without their superstar, they need Wemby available especially as Minnesota was able to hold on and even the series at two games apiece. 

The Timberwolves are the watchability kings of these playoffs

Jaden McDaniels embodies the hardnosed style of the Timberwolves. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

They may not wind up advancing past this round, but no team has been more enjoyable to follow during this postseason than the Wolves.

Whether they’re at full strength or down a pair of starting guards—including Anthony Edwards, one of the league’s best players—Minnesota brought it just about every night. When healthy, Edwards went toe to toe with Nikola Jokić and, in this series, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs’ bottomless roster of talented guards and wings. When he was out, players like Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. emerged from the bench and immediately slotted into starring roles.

Jaden McDaniels is quickly becoming one of the trash talk greats in the modern NBA. Years after his trade from the Jazz, Rudy Gobert is proving why the Wolves valued him so much. Franchise favorite Naz Reid and the ageless Mike Conley have had huge moments.

Ultimately, Minnesota’s never-say-die attitude jumps off the screen, and it makes them an absolute joy to watch every night, no matter who they face.

The Spurs prove once again that they’re much more than just Wembanyama

Dylan Harper scored 24 off the bench for the Spurs in a Game 4 loss to the Timberwolves. | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Even with Wemby’s sudden absence, San Antonio had a real chance to take a 3–1 lead in the series before Game 4 slipped away. The Spurs have dealt without their superstar before as Wemby missed Game 3 of their first-round series with the Trail Blazers while in concussion protocol after a scary fall in the previous game. Portland got the better of the Spurs when Wemby exited early in Game 2, but without him in the next game, they took care of business and finished off the Blazers in five games.

Although he’s San Antonio’s biggest star, the Spurs can still win games without him if needed. In the loss to Minnesota Sunday, they led by six points midway through the fourth quarter before Anthony Edwards and the Wolves took over. The Spurs got 24 points apiece out of De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper, plus 20 more from Stephon Castle. Luke Kornet is a more than serviceable big off the bench, but even he’d tell you he’s no Wemby. Still, in the regular season, San Antonio was 12–6 in games where Wemby didn’t suit up. This Spurs team is deep and they don’t go down easy even without their superstar.

Miss Sunday’s game? Keep reading for our moment-by-moment breakdown of the Timberwolves’ Game 4 win.

Live scores, updates, stats from Timberwolves vs. Spurs Game 4

How the Timberwolves, Spurs got here

The Western Conference series pits one of the NBA’s most experienced postseason teams—Minnesota—against an up-and-coming power in its first playoff run.

The Spurs posted a 62–20 regular season record and were the team that had the most success against the defending champion Thunder throughout the year, making them a clear title contender. The Timberwolves underachieved a bit, going 49–33, inviting questions about whether they’d be able to turn it on for the playoffs. So far, they’ve answered the challenge.

San Antonio dispatched of the Trail Blazers in a five-game first-round series, losing one game in which Wembanyama went down with a concussion. He quickly recovered after missing one contest, and has looked like his normal, dominant self ever since. Minnesota had a tough first-round draw against their recent postseason rivals, the Nuggets, and despite losing Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo along the way, knocked out Nikola Jokić & Co. in impressive fashion, winning in six games.

They kept that momentum in Game 1 of this series, beating the Spurs 104–102 on the road. San Antonio responded with a dominant Game 2, winning 133–95 and holding all Wolves players at 12 or fewer points while Wemby went for 19/15 and Stephon Castle lead all scorers with 21.

Game 3 saw the Spurs win that Wembanyama/Edwards showcase 115–108. Now, Minnesota will look to get one back at home and avoid an elimination game in San Antonio.

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