Game 1 Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
After a convincing 3-1 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, the San Antonio Spurs will face a familiar foe: the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves are red hot, coming off a 3-2 win over the Denver Nuggets, despite missing several key players in the rotation. The series will be a physical and defensive battle that will test the young Spurs and give the Wolves a chance to reach their third consecutive Western Conference final.
The Timbewolves enter the series as underdogs, with multiple players on injury reports. Anthony Edwards’ status is the most interesting in the entire series. Edwards was cleared for on-court opportunities after suffering a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise against Denver. He is listed as questionable for Game 1. Donte DiVincenzo will miss the series after tearing his Achilles tendon in the first round. Ayo Dosunmu, who dominated the Nuggets in the first round, is listed as questionable with calf soreness.
Announcement
The Spurs come into the series fully healthy, but struggled against Minnesota in the regular season. The Wolves won the regular season series between these two teams 2-1. Two of the three games were resolved by 3 points or less and the teams never played each other at full strength. It’s hard to take much from the regular season, other than the fact that these are two top-10 defenses, with superstar shooters like Victor Wembanyama and Edwards.
The Timberwolves are undefeated at home in the playoffs, making home-court advantage crucial for the Spurs. Winning two games at home will put them in a good position to win the series. It all starts by setting the tone for the first game, with a chance to participate in the WCF for the first time since 2017.
May 4, 2026 | 8.30pm CT
Watch: Peacock | Listen: WOAI (12:00)
Spurs injuries: Carter Bryant – Questionable (foot)
Announcement
Timber wolf injuries: Donte DiVincenzo – Out (Achilles), Ayo Dosunmu – Questionable (calf), Anthony Edwards – Questionable (knee)
What to pay attention to:
Minnesota’s offense
If Edwards and Dosunmu sit, the key question for Minnesota becomes: Where do they get their offense from? Jaden McDaniels arrived against Denver, who is emerging as a star in these playoffs. McDaniels is averaging 17.8 points per game on 49.4% shooting from the field in the playoffs. He’s been a force getting to the basket, but he’s shooting just 11.1% from deep. The Wolves also got solid production from Naz Reid and Terrance Shannon Jr. without Edwards.
Announcement
Denver and San Antonio are two very different defensive teams. The Spurs have been excellent at funneling drivers to Wembanyama, who has dominated this postseason. Stephon Castle will have a big challenge ahead of him in protecting the Wolves’ best perimeter player, whether it’s Edwards or someone else. If San Antonio’s defense can slow down a surging Minnesota offensive attack, they should be in a good position for game one.
Defensive clashes
Portland showed the league what the blueprint could be to protect the Spurs in the postseason. They put a big man on Castle, a wing on Wembanyama and their best perimeter defender on De’Aaron Fox. Ultimately, the Blazers didn’t have the personnel to match San Antonio, but the Timberwolves have enough talent to make it interesting.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch could choose to put former Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert over Castle, allowing him to roam the floor as an elite rim protector. Then he could put Julius Randle in Wembanyama. That matchup gave Wembanyama some problems in the regular season, as Randle could put him down and play physical defense. So, McDaniels, the best perimeter defender, could take over Fox’s duties.
Or, Finch could ride the hot hand and put Gobert on Wembanyama. The Wolves center played great defense on Nikola Jokic in the first round. That could give Minnesota the confidence to let Gobert handle Wembanyama, even though San Antonio’s big man has historically dominated that matchup.
Announcement
Spurs three-guard formation
San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson has been reluctant to field his three best guards together this season and in the playoffs. Fox, Castle and Dylan Harper logged just 10 minutes together in the first round, with a neutral net rating. In the regular season, the trio played 25 minutes together with a net rating of -26.9. If this doesn’t sound good, that’s because it isn’t. However, this lineup could come in handy against Minnesota.
The Wolves don’t have many strong ball handlers and could be bothered by the Spurs’ tough guards on the perimeter. Then, on the other end, the Wolves should compete with more players who can create their own shots and open up the vision for others. If Castle and Harper continue to knock down threes, this is a lineup that could swing the series.