MINNEAPOLIS – With Victor Wembanyama making his first start of 2026, the Spurs fell to Minnesota 104-103 in a heartbreaker Sunday at the Target Center.
Anthony Edwards made a runner off the glass to give the Timberwolves a one-point lead with 16.9 seconds to go. Wembanyama missed a jumper on the other end for the Spurs, with the rebound tapped to De’Aaron Fox at the top of the 3-point arc.
His last-second shot drew back iron, and the Timberwolves finished off a comeback from as many as 19-points behind. Wembanyama finished with 29 points in his first start since a New Year’s Eve victory over New York, in which the Spurs’ All-Star center suffered a bone bruise in his left knee.
He had come off the bench in each of his previous three games since returning from injury.
In a way, the Spurs’ experience in Minnesota was the reverse negative of their game a night earlier in Boston, when they trailed the Celtics almost the entire night before squeaking out a 100-95 win.
This time, it was Minnesota’s turn to win at the finish line. The Timberwolves did not take their first lead of the contest until a tie-breaking Edwards jumper with 2:19 remaining.
A game that had featured zero lead changes since the Spurs went up 2-0 in the first quarter had five in the final 2 ½ minutes, culminating with Edwards’ game-winner.
Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s loss, which dropped the Spurs to 27-12 headed into another rematch at defending NBA champion Oklahoma City on Tuesday:
1. Wemby fuels Spurs’ quick start
Wembanyama’s return to the starting lineup provided immediate dividends, especially on the defensive end.
The Spurs opened the game on a 16-0 run, with Minnesota missing its first eight shots.
When Wembanyama went to the bench for his first breather at the 8:02 mark, the Timberwolves were still scoreless. They did not get on the board until an Edwards jumper with 7:22 remaining in the first quarter.
It took until the second quarter for the Wolves to record their first points with Wembanyama on the floor. DiVincenzo broke that drought with a high-arching floater over the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama with 10:38 left in the second quarter.
The Spurs led 55-42 at intermission, limiting Minnesota to an opponent scoring low for a first half.
They almost – almost – rode that start to a third straight victory, until the fourth quarter happened.
2. Spurs couldn’t finish what they started
Then came the fourth quarter.
The Spurs entered the final frame ahead 85-71, and seemed poised to take home their third consecutive victory. Instead, they failed to record a basket until the 6:11 mark. That’s when Stephon Castle swished a 3-pointer to push the Spurs’ floundering edge back up to 94-85.
It did not exactly open the floodgates.
Bullied by Minnesota’s physicality at both ends, the Spurs were outscored 33-18 in the final 12 minutes. They went 5 of 20 in the quarter, including 1 of 8 from beyond the arc.
Simply put, the Spurs could not score enough to fend off Minnesota’s final surge.
3. Guard trio all sputters at once
In a way, the fact the game ended with Fox clanging a wide-open 3-point look. The Spurs’ guard trio of Fox, Castle and rookie Dylan Harper struggled from the floor.
That threesome combined to go 8 of 35. Castle was 2-of-11 with seven turnovers. Harper was scoreless and 0-for-5.
It has been a rough start to the new year for the youngest of that triumvirate, Castle and Harper.
Castle is shooting 36.8% from the floor during six January games. Harper is shooting 34%.
Fox has been better overall from the field at 43%, but is a dreadful 18% from 3-point range.
For the Spurs to have any shot at taking down the Thunder for a fourth time on Tuesday, they are going to need at least some of those guard to be firing on all cylinders.
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