
The San Antonio Spurs are known for their lockdown defense. In Game 6 of their second-round series, they overwhelmed the Minnesota Timberwolves with an offensive barrage.
Six Spurs scored in double figures, and the team shot 56 percent overall and 47 percent from three-point range in a 139-109 win that sent them to the Western Conference Finals. They put up 110 points in three quarters and showed they're more than Victor Wembanyama and a stifling defense.
The Spurs drafted point guard Stephon Castle at No. 4 in the 2024 NBA draft, and Dylan Harper at No. 2 in 2025. They traded for De'Aaron Fox during the 2024-25 season and gave him a lucrative extension last summer. Some argued that's too many point guards, especially since none of the three have a great reputation as shooters.
In Game 6, the trio of guards demonstrated the wisdom of the Spurs' roster moves. Castle scored 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting. Fox had 21 points and shot 8-of-10, with two blocks, nine assists and just one turnover. Harper shot 6-of-8 and scored 15 points.
The athleticism and aggression of San Antonio's guards was a difference-maker in Game 6. The Spurs had 17 fast-break points to the Wolves' five, despite the Spurs committing 17 turnovers to the Wolves' five. That's thanks to the Spurs' dominating rebounding, 60-29, with the Spurs' point guards grabbing 20 of them.
The Spurs have shown the ability to smother opponents defensively, which happened Friday in Minneapolis. Julius Randle scored only three points. Rudy Gobert went scoreless. Wembanyama blocked three shots, and backup Luke Kornet blocked four as the Spurs sent back 13 attempts.
RIM PROTECTOR
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) May 16, 2026
@NBAonPrime pic.twitter.com/9Rw42scaRl
The team knows they can shut down opponents, even the league-leading Thunder. But if they're going to make it to the Finals, they will need a repeat performance of their hot-shooting Game 6. Maybe not going 18-of-38 from deep, but they need that outside shooting threat for when defenses collapse on Wembanyama.
Based on Friday, that's a real possibility. The Thunder are rested, but the Spurs have been toughened up by the Timberwolves. If any team can give the defending champions a real test, this series showed it's the Spurs.
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