The Minnesota Timberwolves host the San Antonio Spurs for Game 3 of their second-round matchup on Friday at 9:30 PM ET at the Target Center. The series is currently tied at 1-1 after the Spurs picked up a dominant 133-95 win at home in Game 2 to tie the series up before heading to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4.
The Timberwolves might be without several contributors, but they managed to steal a 104-102 win on the road in Game 1. However, there weren’t any memorable performances from their squad in Game 2. They had four players lead them in scoring with 12 points, as Anthony Edwards (5-13 FG), Jaden McDaniels (6-10 FG), Julius Randle (4-10 FG), and sophomore Terrance Shannon Jr. (4-12 FG) all reached that mark in this clash.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs in scoring with 21 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Victor Wembanyama put up 19 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks to follow up his historic Game 1 performance. Starting guard De’Aaron Fox managed 16 points with two assists and two steals in the win.
The Spurs will be looking to complete their revenge for the Game 1 loss the Timberwolves handed them by stealing their first game on the road.
Injury Report
Spurs
N/A
Timberwolves
Donte DiVincenzo: Out (Achilles)
Ayo Dosunmu: Questionable (calf)
Anthony Edwards: Questionable (knee)
Why The Timberwolves Have The Advantage
It’s hard to quantify what advantage the Timberwolves could create in Game 3 after how they were blown out in their last clash. The winning strategy was already put on display during their Game 1 win, with the team’s best hope being that they can execute that same game plan with precision once again.
The Timberwolves need their three-point shooting to come good in this game. They shot 38.5 3P% (10-26) in Game 1, compared to the Spurs making the same amount of threes but with 10 more attempts (10-36 3P). They also maximize results around the margins by winning the turnover battle (10-13) as well as generating 20 second-chance points when the Spurs managed just 13.
Another advantage for the Timberwolves in this clash comes from experience. While Wembanyama dismissed concerns over experience after their Game 2 win, it indeed plays a role in the NBA Playoffs. Even if the players aren’t worried about it, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has established himself as one of the best postseason coaches over the last two seasons, leading Minnesota to back-to-back Conference Finals appearances and a surprising series win in Round 1 over the Denver Nuggets.
The Timberwolves have shown they can beat higher-seeded teams while being shorthanded, so they’ll have to rely on their experience and outside shooting prowess to ensure they protect their home-court advantage in Game 3.
Why The Spurs Have The Advantage
The Spurs have almost every material advantage in Game 3 that a team could hope to have at this stage of the NBA Playoffs. Not only do they have a spotless injury report heading into this clash, but they are also coming off a sensational 38-point win where they outplayed the Timberwolves across the board and managed to rest their core players, with nobody playing more than 26 minutes.
The Spurs outscored the Timberwolves in each quarter of Game 2, and had the edge across every major statistical metric. Minnesota shot 35-88 from the field (39.8 FG%) and 9-30 from three (30.0 3P%) while the Spurs went 45-90 from the field (50.0 FG%) and 16-39 from three (41.0 3P%). The Timberwolves shot a paltry 16-31 from the free-throw line compared to San Antonio’s 27-33.
Spurs won on turnovers (15-22), rebounds (55-43), assists (29-19), blocks (9-2), steals (13-7), points off turnovers (19-17), points-in-paint (58-36), fastbreak points (29-5), and second-chance points (21-14). This is as comprehensive a win as a team can manage in the postseason. They don’t need to win every single battle in Game 3, but the fact that they’re capable of doing so just shows how lethal they can be.
Victor Wembanyama is an advantage by himself, having more success in Game 2 by stretching the Wolves defense out with his perimeter presence. He doesn’t need to lead them in scoring, as his presence as a defensive monster has shrunk the court for the Timberwolves and made it impossible for them to generate buckets in both games so far. If the Spurs offense holds up their end of the bargain, this should be an easy win.
X-Factors
Naz Reid will play a crucial role in this clash. Even though he has to come off the bench behind the talented frontcourt trio of Gobert, Randle, and McDaniels, Reid’s ability as a three-level big-man scorer is hard to replicate. Reid is averaging 11.0 points and 7.3 rebounds through the 2026 NBA Playoffs, a disappointing number, but the 26-year-old big man just needs one game to catch fire and completely alter the potential result of the clash.
The Timberwolves traded and then re-signed Mike Conley for a reason. Even though they needed his contract to bring Ayo Dosunmu in, they brought him back on a veteran minimum to be a reliable emergency guard option. With injuries to Dosunmu and DiVincenzo, Conley has had to play a major role in this series, averaging 7.5 points and 4.5 assists through the first two games. His ability as an on-ball decision-maker might be among their best offensive weapons right now.
Dylan Harper is averaging 13.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, proving why the Spurs sought him out with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft despite already having two high-level guards in their backcourt. Harper’s ability to impact the game as a scorer, rebounder, and passer is unique for a rookie, and he could be a difference-maker in Game 3.
Devin Vassell is averaging 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in the 2026 NBA Playoffs as the Spurs’ starting small forward. The 3-and-D specialist went viral for his incredible no-dip three in Game 2, and fans will hope he creates more memorable moments in Game 3 to help the Spurs take a 2-1 series lead.
Prediction
It’s hard to see how the Timberwolves secure this win unless they can repeat their Game 1 heroics. However, that game went in their favor after the best performance coach Chris Finch could’ve expected from his shorthanded roster. The Timberwolves could repeat that with the support of their home crowd, but it’s hard to see how the Spurs give them those opportunities again in Game 3 with the noticeable roster advantage that they have.
Prediction: Timberwolves 96, Spurs 111
