The Western Conference Semifinals took another dramatic turn on Sunday as the Minnesota Timberwolves edged the San Antonio Spurs 114–109 in Game 4, evening the series at 2–2 in a matchup already defined by momentum swings, physicality, and a stunning mid-game ejection that reshaped everything.
Wembanyama’s ejection flips the tone early. The defining moment came early in the second quarter when Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected for excessive contact involving Minnesota’s Naz Reid, with additional incidental contact affecting both Reid and De’Aaron Fox. The call immediately shifted the energy inside Target Center, silencing the Spurs’ bench and igniting the crowd as San Antonio lost its anchor in the paint.
At the time of the ejection, Minnesota held a narrow edge but the Timberwolves did not immediately capitalize, struggling through uneven stretches that allowed San Antonio to stay competitive well into the fourth quarter.
The breakthrough finally came from Anthony Edwards, who delivered another signature playoff performance. Edwards finished with 36 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter alone, repeatedly delivering in isolation when Minnesota needed a bucket most.
A deep 27-footer cut the deficit to 94–91 and visibly energized the Wolves as Edwards turned toward the crowd, urging them to elevate the noise level. Moments later, he drilled a catch-and-shoot three from the wing to give Minnesota its first lead since the third quarter, 98–97, flipping control of the game at a critical juncture.
With Wembanyama no longer protecting the rim, Minnesota leaned heavily into its size advantage. Rudy Gobert anchored the interior with 11 points and 13 rebounds, including a key three-point play off a high-low feed from Naz Reid, who finished with 15 points and nine rebounds despite the early incident that set the game’s tone.
Later, Gobert punctuated Minnesota’s surge with a powerful dunk off a slick assist from Julius Randle, pushing the lead to 107–101 with under two minutes remaining. Reid added a crucial putback with 40 seconds left to stretch the margin to seven and steady the Wolves through the final frantic possessions.
Despite losing their superstar, San Antonio refused to fade. Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle each scored 20+ points, combining for relentless shot-making in the midrange and off the dribble. Harper finished with 24 points, as did Fox, while Castle added 20, helping the Spurs repeatedly claw back into striking distance.
Their collective effort narrowed the gap late, and a sequence of rebounds, fouls drawn, and free throws briefly made things tense in the closing seconds. But Minnesota’s composure finally held.
A chaotic final minute featured a full-court baseball-style inbound pass from Jaden McDaniels, a contested catch disrupted by Fox, and a loose-ball scramble that kept the outcome in doubt. Eventually, Ayo Dosunmu stepped to the line and calmly sank two free throws with 9.8 seconds left, effectively putting the game away.
With the victory, Minnesota ties the series 2–2 and regains home-and-away balance heading into a pivotal Game 5 in San Antonio on Tuesday. However, much of the postgame discussion centered on Wembanyama’s status, which remains under review following the Flagrant 2 ejection.
The Timberwolves will take the win, but also a familiar concern: despite having control after Wembanyama’s exit, they never fully pulled away until the final minute. That inconsistency—especially defensively when a star opponent is out—remains something they will need to clean up as the series shifts back to Texas.
