San Antonio reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in over a decade on Friday night, dismantling the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109 in Game 6 to close out the series. Stephon Castle turned in the performance of his young career, and the Spurs never looked threatened from the opening tip.
Castle takes over
The second-year guard finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists – going 11-of-16 from the field and 5-of-7 from three. It was the kind of complete two-way game that confirmed what San Antonio coaches have said since the draft: Castle is built for big moments. He attacked early, pushed pace in transition and made Minnesota pay every time Anthony Edwards showed fatigue from the previous possessions.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and 9 assists, running the offense with the efficiency he has shown all series. Dylan Harper, the 2025 rookie, chipped in 15 points off the bench. The Spurs shot 57% from the field as a team and held Minnesota to just 109 points – a series low.
Wembanyama anchors the defense
Victor Wembanyama finished with 19 points in 27 minutes, but his real contribution came at the other end. The Wolves had no answer for his length in the paint – he altered pick-and-roll coverages all night and blocked three shots, keeping Minnesota’s offense in check even when they attacked downhill. San Antonio led by as many as 34 points and the outcome was never in doubt after the first quarter.
Anthony Edwards, who averaged 28.4 points in the series through five games, was held to 22 on 8-of-21 shooting. Minnesota had no secondary option capable of generating clean looks once Castle and Fox cut off the guards on the perimeter.
Thunder await in the conference finals
San Antonio will face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder starting Monday night. OKC went 8-0 in the first two rounds of these playoffs – the best postseason start in the franchise’s history – and presents a completely different challenge from Minnesota. The Thunder’s switchable, top-ranked defense will test every offensive weapon the Spurs have.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tips off Monday. For a Spurs franchise that won five titles with Tim Duncan, this run represents something genuinely new: built around a 22-year-old center from France and a backcourt whose average age is 23, San Antonio is not here by accident.
Sources: ESPN, Yahoo Sports
