The San Antonio Spurs host the Minnesota Timberwolves for Game 5 of their 2026 NBA Playoffs second-round matchup on Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET at the Frost Bank Center. The series is currently tied at 2-2 after the Timberwolves picked up a 114-109 win at home in Game 4 to tie the series up before returning to San Antonio for Game 5.
De’Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 24 points, four rebounds, and three steals after Victor Wembanyama was ejected in the second quarter. Dylan Harper contributed 24 points, seven rebounds, and three steals off the bench while Stephon Castle had 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
The Timberwolves are showing they can fight despite being without multiple rotational players available in this series. Anthony Edwards led the team via a superstar performance with 36 points and six rebounds. Naz Reid had 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench, while Jaden McDaniels had 14 points and six rebounds. Julius Randle struggled with 12 points and eight rebounds.
A loss for either team might be too costly to overcome, with the series now moving to a best-of-three over the next few games. The Spurs need to protect home-court, but the Timberwolves have proven they’re scrappy enough to steal this win.
Injury Report
Spurs
De’Aaron Fox: Questionable (ankle)
Timberwolves
Donte DiVincenzo: Out (Achilles)
Why The Spurs Have The Advantage
The Spurs have had bright spots in this series, as their Game 2 win at home was a comprehensive 38-point win over the Timberwolves. That game highlighted all the advantages the Spurs are capable of creating against the Timberwolves, dominating on both sides of the court while also shooting with fantastic high-volume efficiency. That’s what the Spurs need to recreate with their raucous home crowd having their back.
Despite being without Wembanyama for three quarters, the Spurs were controlling the game until the fourth quarter, when they allowed the Timberwolves to go on a 21-7 run over five minutes to take control of the clash. Despite the loss, the Spurs were the more efficient scoring team with 41-86 from the field (47.7 FG%) compared to Minnesota’s 42-94 (44.7 FG%). Both San Antonio losses came when they shot below 28% from three (27.8 3P% in Game 1 and 23.1 3P% in Game 4), so relying on efficiency is going to be crucial for them.
Wembanyama’s presence is a tangible advantage for the Spurs, primarily on defense. Wembanyama has averaged 19.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks this series, showing that the Wolves know how to contain him offensively with Rudy Gobert. However, there’s no answer for Wembanyama’s defensive presence. After his 12-block performance in their Game 1 loss, the Timberwolves have visibly adjusted their offense to not be reliant on attacking the rim with Wembanyama’s presence there. Now, the Spurs need to find a way to deploy the biggest mismatch in the NBA more effectively.
If Wembanyama can keep his temper in check and not have an outburst like the one in Game 4, the Spurs will have the advantage in this clash. They just need to rely on their rotational offensive players to step up and make a difference, as Fox, Harper, and Castle did in Wembanyama’s absence in Game 4.
Why The Timberwolves Have The Advantage
The Timberwolves have a pretty simple and effective game plan to maximize to give themselves the best chance to beat the Spurs.
The franchise has been red-hot from three all series, making 43 three-pointers on 123 attempts (35.0 3P%) throughout the series. Since they’ve lost two games, this doesn’t mean that red-hot shooting will guarantee them a win. However, if they can continue splashing like this, the Spurs might face a serious challenge in restricting them. The Spurs have lost the games where their shooting has disappeared, so the Timberwolves need to focus on ensuring that happens again while hoping their strong shooting holds naturally in Game 5.
The Timberwolves need to get to the line with high-volume and hope to have free-throw shooting nights like Game 4 (20-22 FT) to ensure a steady stream of points. Minnesota has overcome a terrible start from the free-throw line in Games 1 and 2 (28-52 FT) to shoot 38-43 FT over the last two games. If they continue generating looks at the line through their relentless downhill pressure, the Spurs might not be able to reap the benefits of Wembanyama’s infamous interior defense.
Minnesota has more Playoff experience than Wembanyama’s Spurs, which is proving to be a factor in this series. The Timberwolves will continue looking more dangerous as the series goes on, so the Spurs need to ensure they secure a 3-2 lead in Game 5 instead of playing with a knife at their back in a single-elimination format in Games 6 and 7.
X-Factors
Dylan Harper is averaging 13.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, looking like a far more polished Playoff contributor than most rookie guards in recent NBA history. He’s shining as the sixth man in San Antonio, with his production potentially making the difference in this series.
Devin Vassell is averaging 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The starting small forward’s position has been challenged by other strong contributors on the roster, so Vassell needs to solidify his spot by proving that he can deliver at a high level as well. Vassell’s inclusion is crucial for the Spurs to have another elite perimeter defender to disrupt the Wolves. But if he’s disengaged because of his offensive touches, the Spurs will struggle mightily.
Ayo Dosunmu returned to the Timberwolves’ rotation for Game 4, contributing 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in a well-rounded performance. His ability to be a major two-way contributor makes him invaluable, especially in Donte DiVincenzo’s absence. Dosunmu is averaging 16.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, emerging as a key contributor for the team despite joining as a midseason acquisition in February.
Rudy Gobert had a strong 11 points and 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves win Game 4, but the center will need to make his presence felt in Game 5 as well. Gobert is averaging 8.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks in the postseason and has proven his value in the postseason by making the Wolves one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. He’s the only one with a shot to stop Wembanyama.
Prediction
The Spurs should have this win in their bag. Despite the Timberwolves roster getting healthier by the day, it’s hard to see how Edwards repeats his Game 4 heroics while still dealing with an injured knee. Dosunmu won’t be 100% either. Even if Fox misses this clash, the Spurs have options like Harper and Castle, who have proved they can harm the Wolves’ defense. As long as San Antonio cleans up their fourth-quarter execution, they will fall into trap losses like these more often.
Prediction: Spurs 116, Timberwolves 101
