A 19 Point Collapse and a Game Winner
On a Sunday night at Target Center in Minneapolis, a casual observer might have turned off the game early. The San Antonio Spurs, led by the towering force of Victor Wembanyama, had decimated the Minnesota Timberwolves to start, racing to a staggering 16-0 lead and silencing the home crowd for nearly five full minutes. By the middle of the third quarter, the deficit had ballooned to 19 points, and a Spurs victory seemed all but assured.
Few could have predicted the dramatic reversal of fortune that followed. Fueled by a switch to overwhelming physicality and the unwavering confidence of their superstar guard, the Timberwolves mounted a furious comeback. The game culminated in a frantic final minute, with the ball in the hands of Anthony Edwards, who found himself isolated against none other than Wembanyama, the very defender who had dominated the night.
With the clock ticking under 20 seconds and the Wolves trailing by one, Edwards drove, hesitated, and floated a shot over the outstretched arms of two seven-footers. The ball dropped through the net with 16.8 seconds remaining, giving Minnesota its first lead of the entire night at 104-103. A final, desperate three-point attempt by the Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox was long as time expired, sealing one of the most improbable victories of the NBA season.
The final stat sheet told the tale of two halves: a 33-18 fourth-quarter thrashing by Minnesota that erased San Antonio’s control. While Wembanyama finished with a game-high 29 points, it was Edwards, with a team-high 23 points nine in the decisive final period who had the last laugh. And his post-game explanation of that final, fateful possession was not one of bravado, but of hilarious, relatable bewilderment.
“I Was Lost”: Edwards’s Hilarious Admission
In the post-game press conference, the atmosphere was less about dissecting Xs and Os and more about sharing in a moment of pure, unfiltered candor. When asked about the game-winning shot against Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards didn’t launch into a cliché about focus or determination. Instead, he let the room in on his genuine, in the moment panic.
He expanded on the unique dilemma Wembanyama presents. “He’s so tall, bruh. Like, he can take away everything. He can take away the layup, jumpshot, he got good feet, he can move. So, he is one of a kind,” Edwards explained, offering perhaps the most succinct scouting report on the Spurs’ phenom. In another retelling, his internal monologue was even more colorful: “I was like, ‘Ah st… I’m going to throw that b**h to Ju [Julius Randle]. I don’t know what to do right now.'”**.
This hilarious admission did more than just provide a soundbite; it underscored the legitimate, game-altering terror Wembanyama inspires. Here was Edwards, an All-NBA talent and one of the league’s most fearless scorers, momentarily frozen by the defensive puzzle before him.
The Anatomy of a Collapse: How the Spurs Let It Slip
For three quarters, the San Antonio Spurs executed their game plan to near perfection. The return of Victor Wembanyama to the starting lineup provided an immediate jolt. His defensive presence was monumental, snatching two early lob passes intended for Rudy Gobert and setting the tone for San Antonio’s disruptive defense. Offensively, he was efficient and assertive, scoring 16 of his 29 points in the first half and helping the Spurs build their commanding lead.
However, the fourth quarter was a masterclass in how a game can unravel. The Timberwolves’ adjustment was straightforward but brutal: increase the physical intensity to a level San Antonio could not match.
- Defensive Disruption: Minnesota began crowding Wembanyama, most effectively with Julius Randle as the primary defender in the final frame. Randle bodied up the Spurs’ star, knocking him off his spots and making every catch and shot a grueling endeavor.
- Offensive Spark: The Wolves’ offense, which had been stagnant, came alive from beyond the arc. They hit four three-pointers in the fourth quarter compared to San Antonio’s one, sparking the comeback.
- Self-Inflicted Wounds: Crucially, the Spurs coughed up the ball seven times in the fourth quarter, leading to 11 Minnesota points off those turnovers. Their offense grew stagnant, and their guards De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper combined for an abysmal 8-for-35 shooting performance for the game.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson pinpointed the turning point. “They have a knack for turning it on when they get down a little bit or when it gets to be crunch time,” Johnson said. “They are a tough out, and I thought they got the better of us, obviously, in the fourth quarter.
A Star’s Confidence and a Phenom’s Presence
Beyond the comedy, Edwards’s comments revealed the mindset of a true closer. He openly discussed his late-game mandate with the team. “I don’t care what happens in the first three quarters,” Edwards stated. “Fourth quarter, three minutes, four minutes left, let me see it. Y’all can have 50 points.
But in the fourth quarter, four minutes left, for the rest of the game, let me get it.”. This self-assuredness, this demand for the ball when the game is on the line, is the hallmark of the league’s elite. His teammates, he noted, understand this unspoken rule: “When it’s the last four minutes in the fourth quarter, they kinda know, like, ‘We’re giving the ball to 5.'”.
Conversely, the game was another landmark in the rapid ascension of Victor Wembanyama. His stat line 29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals was impressive. But his impact was quantified even more starkly by his plus/minus: a +17 in his 27 minutes on the court. When he played, the Spurs dominated.
When he sat, they floundered, a testament to his irreplaceable value. While he was limited in the fourth quarter by Minnesota’s adjusted defense, his very presence on the final possession forced the Timberwolves’ best player into a moment of hilarious, public confusion before he made the winning play.
Looking Ahead: Rivalry Forged in the Fire
The Timberwolves’ 104-103 victory marked their fifth consecutive win over the Spurs and tightened the Western Conference standings, moving Minnesota within a game and a half of San Antonio for the second seed. For the Spurs (27-12), the message was clear. “We have to be able to finish games,” a frustrated De’Aaron Fox said. “You know, being up 18… we have to be able to put a team away.”.
For the NBA at large, this game provided a perfect snapshot of a burgeoning rivalry between two of the league’s most captivating young stars. It had everything: a monumental collapse, a clutch shot, a suspension, and a post-game quote for the ages. Anthony Edwards, with his blend of otherworldly talent and down-to-earth humor, got the win and the last word.
But in admitting his own confusion, he paid Victor Wembanyama the highest possible compliment acknowledging that even for a superstar, facing “one of a kind” is a uniquely baffling challenge. As both their careers ascend, this late-night in Minneapolis will be remembered as an early, defining chapter in their compelling duel.