Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Victor Wembanyama has atoned for his first career ejection with another huge performance, finishing with 27 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks as San Antonio beat Minnesota 126-97 to take a 3-2 lead in their second-round series.
At 22 years old, Wembanyama is the third-youngest player in NBA history to post that stat line in a playoff game, trailing only Magic Johnson (20) and Luka Doncic (21).
“I was fresh, feeling good,” Wembanyama said.
“Honestly, it’s hard to tell. It was just Game 5. Obviously, I’m going to be excited (and) to have butterflies. So, excitement is not something abnormal at this point in the playoffs.”
Keldon Johnson had 21 points, De’Aaron Fox added 18 and Stephon Castle had 17 on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) as the Spurs moved a game away from the Western Conference finals. They can advance to face Oklahoma City with a victory in Game 6 on Friday in Minneapolis.
Anthony Edwards, who was limited to eight points in the first half, finished with 20 for the Timberwolves, while Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels added 17 points apiece.
Wembanyama returned after his ejection early in the second quarter of Minnesota’s 114-109 victory on Sunday during Game 4 in Minneapolis. The Frenchman received a Flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Naz Reid in the throat.
Both teams continued to hammer each other, with Reid receiving a technical foul for pushing Wembanyama in the back on a Minnesota free throw with 2:24 left in the first half.
The foul fired up Wembanyama, not that he needed any additional motivation.
Wembanyama was six for eight from the field and two for three on three-pointers in scoring 18 points in the opening quarter.
“I think it’s super important for us the way we start the game, because it sets the tone,” the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama added.
“Now the challenge is to do it for 48 minutes.”
After being approached by the Wolves’ Ayo Dosunmu after getting tangled up with McDaniels in the first quarter, Wembanyama would run untouched to the rim for an emphatic windmill dunk.
Minnesota opened the third term on a 14-2 run to tie the game after trailing by 18 points in the first half.
The Spurs recaptured a double-digit lead in the third spurred by Keldon Johnson’s block on Rudy Gobert’s attempted dunk followed by his short jumper after bodying Edwards under the rim.
