Spurs Dominate with a 38-Point Victory, Timberwolves Suffer Worst Playoff Loss in Franchise History

(Central News Agency, San Antonio, 6th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) Led by Victor Wembanyama's 19 points and 15 rebounds, the San Antonio Spurs today overwhelmingly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-95, tying their NBA Western Conference playoff semifinal series at 1-1.

The Timberwolves suffered a crushing 38-point defeat in this game, also breaking the franchise record for the largest margin of loss in playoff history. The Timberwolves' previous worst playoff loss was a 30-point defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 29, 2003.

Wembanyama (Victor Wembanyama) showed strong offensive intent from the start today, and the Spurs quickly recovered from their loss in the first game.

Although the Spurs missed their first three shots at the start of the game, Wembanyama immediately drove into the paint, performing a one-handed dunk in the air to get the first points of the game.

In the second quarter, Spurs rookie Carter Bryant completed a two-handed dunk, scoring his first points in this series; Wembanyama then hit a three-pointer, helping the Spurs extend their lead to 43-26.

The Timberwolves only scored 35 points in the first half, with a field goal percentage of 29.8% and only 2 three-pointers made out of 15 attempts, trailing by 24 points at halftime. The decline further widened in the second half, at one point reaching as many as 47 points.

When the game entered its final 10 minutes, both teams had substituted their key players, with the Spurs leading 104-66, and the only remaining suspense was the final winning margin.

The 2.24-meter-tall Wembanyama also had 2 blocks, leading the Spurs to their highest playoff score since their 145-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the 1983 Western Conference semifinals.

The Spurs had multiple players contributing today, with Stephon Castle contributing 21 points and De'Aaron Fox scoring 16 points. The entire team's field goal percentage reached 50%, and their three-point percentage was 41%.

The Spurs, ranked second in the Western Conference, quickly adjusted and bounced back after an unexpected loss in the first game, re-establishing their status as favorites to advance.

For the Timberwolves, star guard Anthony Edwards, limited by a hyperextended left knee injury, continued to come off the bench today with restricted playing time. He, along with Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Terrence Shannon Jr., each scored a team-high 12 points.

Games 3 and 4 of the series will be held on the 8th and 10th of US time in Minneapolis. (Compiler: Tsai Chia-min) 1150507