Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves will take place on Tuesday, May 12.
The series is tied 2-2, with the eventual winner going on to face the Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept the Los Angeles Lakers in four games.
Advertisement
This has already been a competitive series with the Timberwolves taking Game 3. The story of that game, though, wasn’t necessarily Minnesota’s win, but the fact that San Antonio big man Victor Wembanyama didn’t play in the second half.
Wembanyama was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul in the second quarter when he threw an elbow that drilled Naz Reid in the chin. The Spurs center was ejected, but the NBA determined not to add further punishment in the form of fines or a suspension, so Wembanyama will play in Game 5.
San Antonio could be short-handed, though; point guard De’Aaron Fox had 24 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in Game 4, but is questionable for Game 5 due to an ankle injury. Spurs guard Dylan Harper was downgraded to questionable on Tuesday due to left knee soreness; however, both are officially available for the matchup after making their way through pregame warmups.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards dropped 36 points and added six rebounds in the Game 4 win. Rudy Gobert had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, taking advantage of Wembanyama’s absence on the boards.
Start time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Frost Bank Center | San Antonio
TV channel: NBC
Live stream: Peacock
Live22 updatesTue, May 12, 2026 at 5:48 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 7:27 PM PDT
Ryan Young
Well, nevermind. The Spurs are back up by 20 now, and have held Minnesota without a field goal for nearly two minutes.
With just more than six minutes left on the clock, we’re just about done here.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 7:14 PM PDT
Ryan Young
Well, that was eight quick points from the Timberwolves there, capped by a Naz Reid stepback 3.
The Spurs called a timeout, but their lead is down to just 12 now with 9:34 left. If Minnesota is going to make a move, it has to be now.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 7:07 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The Timberwolves turned a 58-47 halftime deficit into a 61-61 game midway through the third quarter.
But the Spurs are back on top with an even bigger advantage and take a 91-73 lead into the fourth. San Antonio scored nine straight and finished the third on a 19-6 run. Minnesota’s in trouble with 12 minutes remaining.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 6:50 PM PDT
Jason Owens
And just like that, the Spurs have answered with a 9-0 run and are back in control. San Antonio leads, 72-63 and has quelled the Minnesota rally. For now, at least.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 6:45 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Minnesota’s taken control of the third quarter and turned a 59-47 halftime deficit into a 61-61 tie midway through the stanza. This one’s anyone’s game.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 6:37 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The third quarter’s underway, and Ayo Dosunmu started it with a 3 for Minnesota. Anthony Edwards followed up with a pair of free throws and a contested jumper, and San Antonio’s lead has been reduced to 59-54.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 6:29 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Spurs:
Victor Wembanyama: 21 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks
De’Aaron Fox: 12 points, 3 assists
Keldon Johnson: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal off bench
Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards: 8 points, 1 assist, 2 of 5 from field
Ayo Dosunmu: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 of 6 from field
Julius Randle: 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 of 7 from field, 0 of 2 from 3
Rudy Gobert: 2 points, 3 rebounds, 0 blocks
Team stats
Spurs: 48% from field, 32% from 3, 26 rebounds, 7 turnovers
Timberwolves: 41% from field, 31% from 3, 21 rebounds, 6 turnovers
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 6:21 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are in control and in possession of a 59-47 halftime lead.
It would have been bigger, but San Antonio went cold down the stretch, missing eight of its final field goal attempts of the quarter. But the Spurs still outscored the Timberwolves, 25-17 in the stanza and are controlling both sides of the court.
Wembanyama has 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 6:16 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Officials are calling this one tight. Naz Reid just got a technical foul for a slight shove in Victor Wembanyama’s back after a boxout.
Reid was the recipient of the Wembanyama elbow in Game 4 that resulted in a flagrant 2 ejection for the Spurs center. Officials aren’t seeking to maintain control and aren’t letting much of anything go in Game 5.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 6:01 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Not everything’s coming up Spurs. Stephon Castle just picked up his third foul on offense and is headed to the bench halfway through the second quarter.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 5:56 PM PDT
Jason Owens
San Antonio remains in control early in the second quarter. The Spurs opened the stanza with a 9-0 run and have a 45-33 lead with 9:02 remaining before halftime.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 5:46 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Victor Wembanyama’s on a heater in his first game back from his Game 4 ejection. Wembanyama tallied 18 points and six rebounds in eight first quarter minutes, and the Spurs leave the first quarter with a 34-30 lead.
He’s doing it from inside and out with two of his six early field goals coming from deep. Anthony Edwards (8 points) is helping the Timberwolves keep things close.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 5:28 PM PDT
Jason Owens
In his return from his Game 2 ejection, Victor Wembanyama’s scorching out of the gates with 9 of San Antonio’s first 17 points. The Spurs have a 17-9 lead at the first timeout, and the San Antonio crowd is rocking.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 5:22 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Rudy Gobert just picked up an early flagrant foul, via the Zaza Pachulia rule.
He closed out with a foot under Victor Wembanyama after a Wembanyama jumpshot. Wembanyama landed on Gobert’s foot and fell to the court. He appeared to avoid injury, but officials didn’t take much time to confirm a flagrant 1 for Gobert.
The San Antonio crowd took much delight in this decision, a game after Wembanyama was ejected for a flagrant 2 in Minnesota.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 5:14 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The starting lineups have been announced, and the San Antonio crowd is rocking for a pivotal Game 5.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 4:41 PM PDT
Kate Magdziuk
After being listed as questionable ahead of Game 5, Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are both officially good to go for Tuesday night, according to the league’s latest injury report.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 4:30 PM PDT
Teddy Ricketson
Given the seven-game format of the Western Conference semifinals, the series started in San Antonio for the first two games.
The Timberwolves barely held on for the Game 1 win, 104-102. The Spurs battled back and used that home-court advantage in Game 2 to win 133-95.
San Antonio sustained that momentum as the series moved to Minnesota and picked up the close 115-108 win in Game 3.
Game 4 was overshadowed by Wembanyama’s ejection, but the Timberwolves held on for the 114-109 victory.
After Game 5 in San Antonio, the series could be clinched in Game 6 on Friday as it shifts back to Minnesota.
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 4:15 PM PDT
Teddy Ricketson
The Western Conference semifinals are tied up 2-2. In the first two games of the series, Minnesota point guard Anthony Edwards came off the bench with a minutes restriction as he worked back from a knee injury.
Edwards tallied 40 points between Games 1 and 2, and then returned to the starting lineup in Game 3. He led the Timberwolves with 32 points and followed it up with 36 points in Game 4.
The Minnesota guard tied for the fourth-most 30+ point playoff performances before turning 25 in NBA history. Edwards and Dwayne Wade each have 18 games, and trail only LeBron James (30), Kobe Bryant (26) and Kevin Durant (22).
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 3:54 PM PDT
Teddy Ricketson
After Wembanyama was ejected in Game 4, the next question was whether or not he would be allowed to play in Game 5.
Flagrant 2 fouls are subject to a league review to determine whether further discipline is warranted, including fines and a suspension.
With it being the playoffs and the nature of the foul, there was an expectation that Wemby would be fined, but may avoid suspension.
Shockingly, the NBA ruled that the Spurs center wouldn’t face any further punishment, letting his absence for the entire second half of Game 4 be the only punishment.
The league’s decision not to impose even a fine was heavily criticized by some media members. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins said, “Victor Wembanyama should have been suspended for tonight’s game. … It’s about protecting the brand, not the names on the back of the jersey.”
Draymond Green chimed in with, “And what if the roles were reversed and Naz was hitting Wemby? There would be fines. There would be suspensions… Jaden McDaniels and Jokic were fined for much less.” The Warriors forward went on to suggest that, with no further punishment, the door is open for someone on Minnesota to retaliate.