MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 15: De'aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball against Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images Matthew Harren Sat, October 31, 2026 at 5:30 PM UTC · 7 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the second time this week, the Wolves fly from Minnesota to take on a rested team on the tail end of a back-to-back. This is their fifth game in seven nights. They are down their A1 player in Anthony Edwards but have found a way to win without him. To add to their win total in San Antonio will take a full team effort with what they have left.
Who: Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2) vs. San Antonio Spurs (3-2)
When: Saturday, October 31st at 7:00 PM CT
This is the first matchup between the Wolves and Spurs since their playoff bout this past May. The Spurs would continue past Minnesota on their march to the final round where they were summarily spanked by the New York Knicks (thanks Karl).
Karl-Anthony Towns L of New York Knicks vies with Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio Spurs during the final game 5 between New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at the 2025-2026 NBA basketball game in San Antonio, the United States, June 13, 2026. (Photo by Wu Xiaoling/Xinhua via Getty Images)
The Wolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly saw that the path through the Western Conference now curved through either Oklahoma City or San Antonio and their brand of swarming, hyper-athletic, in your jersey, perimeter defense. The Spurs being anchored by an All-Defense big man near the hoop.
As he did when building the Wolves to take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets , he made a big trade that sent out precious draft capital and beloved players. The new vision was built around LaMelo Ball. An All-Star pass first point guard who can bend defenses in the half-court with either his passing or shooting.
In the past the Spurs tore up the hobbled Wolves by sending two defenders at Anthony Edwards who had little means of releasing the pressure in ways that punctured the defense. This left Victor Wembanyama clear to sit back and ward off the paint. The Wolves size that they had used to stifle the Nuggets was chop blocked.
Unfortunately we will not get to see Connelly's full grand vision in action take on one of the very teams he built it for. As Edwards recovers from his successful arthroscopic surgery, the Wolves will instead have to contend with a team off to their own rocky start.
The Spurs are 3-2 with victories over the Dallas Mavericks without Cooper Flagg, the Sacramento Kings, and the Utah Jazz in overtime. At this writing they are middle of the league in shooting the basketball (tied at 18th in true shooting percentage at 56.2%), while boasting a top ten defense.
The Wolves have played well thus far against teams that lack consistent three point threats. Should the Spurs find some of their post-season form and hit from outside, it could get ugly fast.
San Antonio could employ the same defense they used in the playoffs against the Antless Wolves. Melo is a more capable ball handler and passer than Edwards and is better able to diagnose where to deliver the ball. What he is not, is someone who can handle a full night of physical bullying. Especially after playing a game 24 hours earlier.
Sending two players in any combination of Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, or Devin Vassell could rattle Ball's cage enough to turn the Wolves over. I expect the Spurs will try to rough up Melo and frustrate him. If Rudy tries to screen him open, Wemby will hedge just enough to prevent the deep shot knowing he can catch up to anyone in the play diving to the rim.
The rest of the Wolves will need to move well off the ball and keep the Spurs guessing where and when Melo might look to release the defensive pressure.
May 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half of game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Combing the standing reach of Rudy Gobert (9'7"), Joan Beringer (9'3"), and Wemby (somewhere between 9'7"-9'10") we could run nearly one third of court tip to toe with French center. Outside of Luke Kornet minutes, the entirety of this game figures to see two of those three on the court at all times protecting the rim.
Where Wemby has more outside game than either Rudy or Joan, all of them do their best work on offense closer to the basket. Thankfully Rudy got back in the scoring column against the Clippers. As the elder homme d'État, he'll need to bide his time to score against Wemby, collecting offensive rebounds when Big Vic is pulled far enough away from the rim and slamming them home before the defense can recover.
As the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Wembanyama stalks around the basket like Jack Skellington on the hunt for a new holiday. What the Wolves, specifically Terrance Shannon Jr., discovered last year in the post-season, is that you have to go at the man in the middle. This will not always reap rewards, but if Minnesota can get past their perimeter defender they need to go at Victor and force him to make a play.
The more the Wolves can make Wemby exert himself on one end, the more he will lack on the other end by the fourth quarter. On the second night of a back-to-back, it is a big ask for Minnesota, but Wemby is at his worst in the fourth.
Wembanyama's Fourth Quarters (2026-2027 season)
When Kornet is in, the Wolves need to redouble their efforts to get to the hoop. Serviceable last year, Kornet has yet to find a rhythm this season.
The Wolves who battled the Spurs last year will come out looking to prove something. Ball and Jonathan Kuminga will feed off that energy and look to help their teammates looking to steal back their pride. Minnesota's outside shots fall and they take the lead weathering a few surges by the Spurs. It gets close in the third but by the fourth, Wemby is spent and the Wolves tuck San Antonio into bed early, leaving a night light on for fear of the big bad wolf.
Our blogging buddies are over at Pounding the Rock ! Be kind to our friends who cheer for the team on the river walk!
Source: Sports
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