Edwards Finds His Way Late as Wolves Slip Past Spurs

Minnesota looked finished before it ever found a rhythm, staring down a 16-0 hole and a 19-point deficit against a young San Antonio team that controlled the pace from the opening tip. The Timberwolves were held scoreless for nearly five minutes to start, their offense stalling against the length and activity of Victor Wembanyama and a Spurs defense flying to every spot.

By the time the fourth quarter arrived, however, the Wolves had steadied themselves and trimmed the margin within reach. Edwards, who had spent much of the night searching for clean looks, suddenly became the most decisive player on the floor. His pull-up jumper in the closing moments sealed a 104-103 comeback that felt improbable after Minnesota’s listless opening.

The win carried more weight than a single game in January. It was a test of Minnesota’s composure after being embarrassed early and a reminder of how quickly momentum can swing when a team has a closer who refuses to fade. For Edwards, it was a night defined less by volume scoring than by timing.

By the horn, the Wolves had outscored the Spurs 33-18 in the final period, turning frustration into relief in front of a crowd that had watched its team sleepwalk through the first quarter before roaring them home.

1. Edwards Battles the Length

Edwards finished with 23 points and three assists, but the box score hides how difficult the night was. For long stretches, Wembanyama’s wingspan swallowed driving lanes and forced Edwards into hesitation. He didn’t make his first field goal until more than seven minutes had elapsed in the opening quarter. After the game, Edwards candidly described the chess match of attacking a defender who seems to erase every option. He admitted he felt “lost,” unsure whether to rise for jumpers or challenge the rim against a player who could contest both without breaking stride. The respect was clear, even in victory. What changed late was Edwards’ willingness to simplify. Rather than overthinking angles and counters, he attacked quickly, using one or two dribbles to create space. That approach paid off in the fourth quarter, when he scored nine of his 23 points and finally bent the Spurs’ defense. His final jumper wasn’t spectacular in design, but it was precise in execution — a reminder that elite scorers often win games not with highlights, but with the calm to take the best shot available.

2. Wembanyama Sets the Tone

Wembanyama, making his first start since New Year’s Eve, looked fully refreshed in the opening half. He poured in 16 points and grabbed six rebounds before intermission, setting the tone for a Spurs team that played with uncommon aggression for a young roster. The early surge was sparked by his defensive instincts. Two steals on lob attempts ignited the 16-0 run, turning Minnesota’s scripted offense into a series of rushed passes and empty possessions. His presence alone seemed to compress the floor, shrinking space for shooters and forcing the Wolves into late-clock decisions. By night’s end, Wembanyama had a game-high 29 points and seven rebounds, numbers that underscored how much of San Antonio’s offense still flows through him. Even when Minnesota threw extra bodies at him, the Spurs continued to look most comfortable when the ball started in his hands. Yet the second half revealed how quickly opponents can adjust. Minnesota crowded him with Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle, limiting him to 13 points after the break and daring the Spurs’ secondary scorers to shoulder more responsibility.

3. Defense, Discipline, and a Costly Foul

The Wolves’ comeback was built as much on defense as shot-making. By loading the paint and switching aggressively, they turned Wembanyama into more of a passer and clogged San Antonio’s driving lanes. The result was a Spurs offense that managed only 18 points in the fourth quarter. That physical approach came with consequences. Late in the game, Gobert was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul on Wembanyama, a call that carried into the next night in the form of a one-game suspension. It was the kind of borderline play that often emerges in tight games when teams feel they must meet size with force. For Minnesota, the gamble paid off in the short term. San Antonio’s rhythm disappeared, and the Wolves finally began to string together stops that had eluded them in the opening quarter. Each empty Spurs possession fed a growing belief that the deficit was no longer insurmountable. By the final buzzer, the Wolves had survived both their own sluggish start and Wembanyama’s dominant stretches, proving that persistence — even when imperfect — can still tilt a game.