{"id":439719,"date":"2026-05-13T14:34:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T14:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/439719\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T14:34:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T14:34:15","slug":"starting-5-spurs-take-3-2-lead-looking-ahead-to-game-5-of-cavs-pistons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/439719\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: Spurs take 3-2 lead; Looking ahead to Game 5 of Cavs-Pistons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Victor Wembanyama becomes 3rd Youngest player with 25\/15\/5 in a playoff game, as Spurs take Game 5 for 3-2 series lead on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

A Wemby masterclass has the San Antonio Spurs on the brink of their first WCF since 2016-17.<\/p>\n

Keep reading for yet another night that put the Spurs\u2019 star in elite company.<\/p>\n

But first, the NBA family mourns and honors the memories of NBA Ambassador & former player Jason Collins<\/a> and the Memphis Grizzlies\u2019 Brandon Clarke<\/a>, after losing both on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\"Victor<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

Tone-Setter: Wemby\u2019s dominant start propels Spurs to 3-2 series lead<\/p>\n

Spurs\u2019 Spark: Keldon Johnson\u2019s sacrifice pays off in key 3rd-quarter swing<\/p>\n

Cleveland Core: Tied 2-2, Mitchell leads veteran Cavs into Detroit for monster Game 5<\/p>\n

Resilient Detroit: Cade & Pistons look to answer once again as series shifts home<\/p>\n

AWS Draft Combine: The next wave of NBA talent is in Chicago this week, with new Combine insights<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

\"Scores<\/p>\n

The NBA Playoffs<\/a> roll as the Cavs visit the Pistons on ESPN for Game 5 with the series tied 2-2 (8 ET<\/a> | Tap to Watch<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Earlier in the day, the NBA Draft Combine continues from Chicago with live scrimmages airing from 2-5 ET on ESPN2. Go deeper in the brand-new AWS Combine Data Hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Playoff<\/p>\n

1. WEMBY SETS TONE, SPURS SURGE TO 3-2 SERIES LEAD<\/p>\n

\"Victor<\/p>\n

Tuesday\u2019s version of Victor Wembanyama was an early offensive force, and his San Antonio squad is now one win away from the West Finals.<\/p>\n

Spurs 126, Wolves 97: Wembanyama (27 pts, 17 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk) returned in a big way, piling up a 21-point 1st half while five other double-digit scorers, led by Keldon Johnson (21 pts), helped San Antonio pull away in the 3rd for a 3-2 series edge.<\/p>\n

Anthony Edwards (20 pts) paced the Wolves, with 17 more from both Julius Randle (10 reb) and Jaden McDaniels (6 reb). Minnesota faces elimination in Game 6 on Friday, as San Antonio can advance to the West Finals for the first time since 2017. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Back to action after his Game 4 ejection, Wemby got off to a scorching start Tuesday.<\/p>\n

First On Fire: Wembanyama scored 16 of San Antonio\u2019s first 24 points before the 6-minute mark in the 1st for a 15-point lead, sinking six straight shots after missing his first two
\nHistoric Start: Wemby\u2019s 18-point, 6-rebound 1st quarter placed him with Tim Duncan (2x) as the only Spurs in the play-by-play era to log 15+\/5+ in a Playoff game\u2019s opening quarter
\nRun & Respond: A 21-10 Wolves response made it 34-30 after 1, but by the time Wemby spiked down this 2nd-quarter alley-oop<\/a> for 20 points, the Spurs were back out to a half-high 18-point lead
\nBy halftime, Wemby (22y, 128d) became the 2nd-youngest player to record 20+\/10+ in any Playoff half since 2000, trailing only LeBron James (21y, 130d)
\n\u201cSome of the stuff that Wemby was doing, you don\u2019t really have too much of an answer for,\u201d Edwards said. \u201cJust kinda hope he misses. He came out hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Victor<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s super important for us, the way we start a game,\u201d Wembanyama said. \u201cIt sets the tone. Now, the challenge is to do it for 48 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Spurs felt that challenge as the 2nd half started, with the Wolves putting up seven straight points and tying the game, 61-61, with an 11-2 opening run
\nSpurs\u2019 Spark: But when Julian Champagnie\u2019s (15 pts) corner triple answered (assist from Wemby), something clicked to ignite seven straight from the Spurs, a lead they\u2019d never surrender
\n\u201cThat\u2019s the team we want to be,\u201d De\u2019Aaron Fox (18 pts, 5 ast) said. \u201cWhen you become a good team, it\u2019s when you can put teams away \u2026 We answered that call.\u201d
\nTexas Takeoff: San Antonio closed the 3rd on a 30-12 flurry (see Section 2 for more \u2b07\ufe0f) and outscored Minnesota 65-36 overall the rest of the way, maintaining a double-digit lead in the 4th
\nSteady Support: The Spurs\u2019 trio of Fox, Stephon Castle (17 pts, 6 ast) and rookie Dylan Harper (12 pts, 10 reb) combined for 47 points and have not logged under 35 points together in this series<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Wemby finished the win as the 3rd-youngest player in NBA history to compile a 25\/15\/5 or better line in a postseason game, behind only Magic Johnson (20y) and Luka Don\u010di\u0107 (21y).<\/p>\n

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had one word for Wembanyama\u2019s response in Game 5: \u201cMature.\u201d
\n\u201cHow that young man came out tonight and played in a variety of ways, in a variety of situations \u2013 not just in terms of his production \u2013 was extremely mature.\u201d
\n\u201cI feel like we just stayed composed as a team,\u201d Wembanyama said of his Spurs in this physical series featuring two of the top-3 teams with the most fouls in these Playoffs<\/p>\n

Minnesota will work to extend its season at home Friday in Game 6 (9:30 ET, Prime).<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see [anybody] in the locker room that\u2019s too worried,\u201d Edwards said. \u201cYou come out, put your boots on, and get ready to go to war.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. SAN ANTONIO\u2019S \u2018SOUL\u2019: SPURS\u2019 JOHNSON SHINES IN GAME 5<\/p>\n

\"Keldon<\/p>\n

Keldon Johnson led the Spurs in scoring in 2022-23.<\/p>\n

At just 23 years old, the fourth-year wing averaged a career-high 22 ppg, emerging as one of the franchise\u2019s brightest building blocks.<\/p>\n

The following season, during Victor Wembanyama\u2019s rookie year, Johnson moved to the bench.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has sacrificed more than anybody on this team,\u201d said Wemby of Johnson in March. \u201cHe has outshone everybody \u2026 he\u2019s the soul of this team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson, the Spurs\u2019 longest-tenured player, has been there for each step in the rebuild.<\/p>\n

The losses. The Lottery years. The growing pains that came even after Wembanyama\u2019s arrival \u2013 and then this year\u2019s rapid ascent to title contention.<\/p>\n

Now, in Year 7 and appearing in his first career postseason, Johnson\u2019s sacrifice is helping push the Spurs to the brink of the West Finals.<\/p>\n

Selflessness: Johnson played in all 82 regular-season games, all off the bench, becoming the first Spurs reserve to total 1,000+ points in a season
\nShine: The reward? The Kia Sixth Man of the Year award and 62 wins for San Antonio \u2013 its most since 2016-17
\nSpark Plug: Over one-third of those wins (38.7%) came with Johnson scoring 15+ points, with the Spurs going 24-6 in such games. But it\u2019s not just his scoring punch \u2013 it\u2019s his intangibles
\n\u201cHe brings energy no matter what time of the day,\u201d Wemby said in March. \u201cA lot of the work he does \u2013 I can\u2019t say it\u2019s not loud because he\u2019s naturally loud \u2013 [but] it\u2019s unseen. It\u2019s behind the scenes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Center Stage: On Tuesday, Johnson\u2019s energy was impossible to miss, sparking the 30-12 3rd-quarter run that turned a tie game into an 18-point Spurs lead.<\/p>\n

That stretch included a Johnson swat on Rudy Gobert, a flex-and-roar finish over Anthony Edwards and eight of his Playoff-best 21 points as San Antonio seized control for good.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he plays with that type of energy, the basketball finds him,\u201d coach Mitch Johnson said. \u201cHe\u2019s a catalyst for that energy, that physicality and that dynamic of our team \u2013 and we need it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson understood that long before the Spurs got here, back when he was first asked to embrace a reserve role to help unlock San Antonio\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to be part of something special here in San Antonio,\u201d Johnson told ESPN<\/a> after winning Kia Sixth Man of the Year. \u201cI knew that in order for me to really be the best for our team that coming off the bench was probably my best possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Johnson and the Spurs are one win away from another possibility: a trip to the West Finals.<\/p>\n

\"Keldon<\/p>\n

3. ON ESPN: SPIDA LEADS CAVS INTO DETROIT WITH SERIES TIED 2-2<\/p>\n

\"Donovan<\/p>\n

You often hear a couple phrases when a team wins its first two games at home in a Playoff series.<\/p>\n

Taking care of business. Holding serve. Protecting the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did their job. We did our job,\u201d Donovan Mitchell said of undefeated home teams in the Cavs\u2019 First Round series against Toronto.<\/p>\n

But Monday\u2019s Game 4 win meant a little more in Cleveland \u2014 clearing a symbolic roadblock after consecutive East Semifinals exits in 2024 and 2025, when the Cavs fell behind 3-1 before exiting.<\/p>\n

Following two years of frustration, this Cavs team applied that experience to reach the franchise\u2019s best Playoff showing since its 2018 NBA Finals run.<\/p>\n

Can the Cavs keep up that momentum \u2014 and keep building on their growing experience \u2014 for their first road win of these Playoffs in Game 5 from Detroit tonight (8 ET, ESPN)?<\/p>\n

Cleveland\u2019s star backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell (74) & James Harden (173) features nearly 250 combined Playoff games
\nAll-Stars Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are part of a Cavs core that\u2019s seen 32 Playoff games together in these three straight East Semis runs, while Dennis Schr\u00f6der adds another 74
\nAnd the locker room gets championship wisdom from Sam Merrill (2021), Thomas Bryant (2023) and Larry Nance Jr., who reached the Finals as a member of that 2018 Cavs team.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And in Game 5, that seasoning shined through.<\/p>\n

Most In His Era: In his 74th career postseason game, Mitchell\u2019s Game 4 turnaround included his fifth career 20+ point quarter in the Playoffs, the most in the league since his postseason debut in 2018
\nAmong Legends: He followed that up with his ninth career 15+ point 4th quarter in the Playoffs, tying Kevin Durant for 3rd-most all-time, trailing only Kobe Bryant (12x) and LeBron James (14x)
\nJust behind them? Harden, tied with Steph Curry for 4th-most, with eight
\nCav Goes Classic: Harden tapped into that all-time instinct to secure the Game 3 win, with seven of his nine 4th-quarter points coming in clutch time
\n\u201cI think they\u2019re still learning each other,\u201d coach Kenny Atkinson said after Game 4. \u201cThey have great synergy in terms of their basketball philosophy. They both kinda understand what we want, what our team needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Donovan<\/p>\n

While Mitchell and Harden have only had 33 games together (regular-season and Playoffs), Cleveland\u2019s frontcourt is clicking in its fourth consecutive postseason run together.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Mobley and Allen\u00a0disrupted Cade Cunningham and the Pistons\u2019 downhill attack in two straight wins.<\/p>\n

Tall Takeaway: The Pistons led the league in regular-season points in the paint at 57.9 ppg. In this series against the Cavs, they\u2019ve been limited to 49 ppg
\n\u201cMaybe the best I\u2019ve seen Evan defensively, and that\u2019s saying something,\u201d Atkinson said of Mobley, the 2024-25 Kia Defensive Player of the Year
\nAnswering The Call: No two defenders have been tested more at the rim in this year\u2019s Conference Semifinals than Mobley (34 DFGA) and Allen (30 DFGA)
\n\u201cThis is our strength of our team,\u201d Atkinson said. \u201cWe have that duo that can play off each other \u2026 perfectly \u2026 at a high level right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. GAME 5 EDGE: CADE & PISTONS LOOK TO RESPOND AGAIN<\/p>\n

\"James<\/p>\n

Detroit has been here before.<\/p>\n

The Pistons were on a two-game skid just 14 days ago, staring at a 3-1 First Round-series deficit against Orlando.<\/p>\n

They answered with five straight wins,\u00a0becoming just the 15th team to rally from 3-1, before carrying that momentum into Games 1 & 2 against Cleveland.<\/p>\n

Now, after dropping Games 3 & 4, Detroit returns home looking to do what it\u2019s done all season: respond.<\/p>\n

Always Answering: The Pistons are 19-7 (73.1%) this season (regular season & Playoffs) following a loss \u2013 the 3rd-best mark in the NBA
\nThe Key? Leaning into their identity, as they\u2019ve allowed just 109.4 ppg after losses this season, while Cade Cunningham has stuffed the stat sheet (24.7 pts, 5.2 reb, 9 ast)
\nCade\u2019s Latest Answer? Snapping Detroit\u2019s two-game skid vs. Orlando with a franchise Playoff-record 45 points in Game 5, as he averaged 36.3 pts over the series\u2019 final three games to advance
\n\u201cI think we learned from the Orlando series what it\u2019s like to be down and the amount of urgency you have to play with,\u201d said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. \u201cNow we have to slow that opponent that\u2019s playing with that type of urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ausar<\/p>\n

Urgency has fueled Detroit all season. With an unrelenting defense and Cunningham directing traffic, the Pistons led the NBA in forced turnovers (16.9) this season and ranked 2nd in points off turnovers (21.5).<\/p>\n

That end-to-end energy powered Detroit to wins in Games 1 & 2. But Cleveland flipped the script in Games 3 & 4.<\/p>\n

Pistons\u2019 Pressure: Detroit imposed its will in Games 1 & 2 by turning defense into offense, forcing 30 takeaways while outscoring Cleveland 45-20 in points off turnovers and 28-10 in fastbreak points
\nCavs\u2019 Urgency: Down 2-0, Cleveland answered with Detroit\u2019s own formula in Games 3 & 4, owning a 52-39 edge in points off turnovers, while forcing 20 takeaways in Game 4 alone
\n\u201cThey played with more force and tenacity than we did,\u201d said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Game 4. \u201cWe were a step behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s Detroit\u2019s turn to respond once again \u2013 back on its home floor with another defining moment ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the hardest lessons that you learn are the most frustrating ones, but you learn from them, and you grow,\u201d said Bickerstaff. \u201cThe best part about it is, it\u2019s a three-game series now, and we have two of them in Detroit.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. AWS NBA DRAFT COMBINE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n

\"AJ<\/p>\n

The next wave of NBA talent has arrived in Chicago.<\/p>\n

Fresh off the Wizards winning the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery<\/a>, prospects from across the globe are showcasing their skills at the AWS NBA Draft Combine<\/a> (May 10-17) \u2013 a week filled with measurements, athletic testing, interviews and scrimmages that help shape draft boards.<\/p>\n

Scrimmage Schedule:<\/p>\n

Wednesday, May 13: Scrimmages Day 1 (2 ET, ESPN2)
\nThursday, May 14: Scrimmages Day 2 (NBA TV, Time TBD)
\nStream digitally on NBA App and NBA.com<\/p>\n

This week also introduces the new 2026 AWS NBA Draft Combine Data Hub<\/a>, which turns measurements and athletic testing into real basketball insights.<\/p>\n

How It Works: Using 25 years of Combine history, the Hub gives fans a chance to compare today\u2019s prospects to past standouts \u2013 adding context to every sprint, jump and drill while showing how testing performance has historically translated to the NBA floor. | Full <\/a>Stat Lab<\/a><\/p>\n

For instance \u2026<\/p>\n

2013\u2019s Longest Standing Reach? Wolves anchor and 4x Kia DPOY Rudy Gobert
\n2017\u2019s Highest Standing Vertical Leap? One of the game\u2019s most explosive guards, Donovan Mitchell
\n2018\u2019s Lowest Body Fat Percentage? Reigning Kia MVP and OKC\u2019s leader in Playoff minutes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/p>\n

\"Darryn<\/p>\n

Now, a much-anticipated class of prospects gets its chance to stand out and strengthen its Draft stock, hoping to follow the path of those same NBA stars.<\/p>\n

Want to share\u00a0Starting\u00a05\u00a0with a friend?\u00a0Send them this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shape the Starting 5.\u00a0\u00a0Email us here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t have the NBA App? Download it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Victor Wembanyama becomes 3rd Youngest player with 25\/15\/5 in a playoff game, as Spurs take Game 5 for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":439720,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[85,46,105,91844],"class_list":["post-439719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-sports","tag-starting-5"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=439719"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439719\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/439720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=439719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=439719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=439719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}