As the momentum shifted to the Minnesota Timberwolves, thanks to two sensational performances from their superstar wingman, Anthony Edwards, many began to question if San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama was ready for the big stage. After all, he had failed to control his emotions in Game 4, getting ejected in the second quarter for hitting Naz Reid with his elbow.
In Game 5, Wemby put all those questions to rest as early in the first quarter as he came out with guns blazing to lead the Spurs to a dominant 126-97 win to put them a win away from a berth in the Western Conference Finals against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wemby was so impressive that Edwards couldn’t help but give his foe his flowers, saying there was nothing they could do to slow the 7’4″ Frenchman down in the first — a pivotal stretch that set the tone for the rest of the game.
The T-Wolves were hoping for Wemby to miss
Keen on letting his team down as he had in the previous game, Wembanyama played with fierce determination from the get-go, piling up 18 points and six rebounds in the first canto alone.
In doing so, he became the third player in league history to post such numbers in a playoff game in the last three decades. The other two players? League MVPs LeBron James and Nikola Jokic.
As much of a competitor as Ant is, he took the time to verbalize how much of a headache Wemby was for the T-Wolves.
“Tonight, some of the stuff that Wemby was doing, you don’t really have too much of an answer for it. You just kind of hope he misses,” Ant said after the game.
“He was making them. He came out hot. He made a bunch of shots.”
Wembanyama finished with 27 points on 9-for-16 shooting, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, dealing a lot of damage in only 32 minutes and 38 seconds of action.
Related: “I respect the goonery”: Bomani Jones explains why the Spurs must find an enforcer for Wemby
Ant’s honest assessment of their performance
As lopsided as the final score was, the T-Wolves didn’t lie down and even tied the game at 61-all early in the third. And although the Spurs again extended their lead to 20 at the start of the fourth, the T-Wolves kept pushing and came as close as 11 with 9:03 left in the game.
That proved to be their final hurrah as the Spurs closed them out with a strong finishing kick.
“I feel like we adjusted, fought back, fought back, fought back into the game, and tried to dig ourselves out of the hole. But eventually they created another lead and started running out in transition,” Ant stated. “We got to get back, get matched up. Just game-plan mistakes that we keep making, and it’s too late in the series to make these mistakes.”
With their season on the line in Game 6, Edwards reckoned they must all pay attention to the game plan and execute it to a tee to force the series to a do-or-die Game 7.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” Ant responded when asked where they could improve. “Not knowing the game plan, executing on offense. We know they’re going to come out and be physical defensively. We know how to go against that.”
“Then defensively, we know our coverages and what we’re supposed to be doing when they’re in pick-and-roll, and I think we’re just not doing it enough.”
At this point, the series has become somewhat of a chess match. With each team already aware of what the other is capable of, it will all come down to the most minute adjustments and who blinks first in crunch time.
Related: “I couldn’t lose this game for her” – Anthony Edwards says Mother’s Day fueled his Game 4 performance vs. Spurs
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
