Story perspectives

Injured Timberwolves, led by McDaniels, meet Spurs.

5/2/2026

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Summary

Timberwolves Advance Semifinals

The San Antonio Spurs will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the semifinals on May 4, 2026, after Minnesota advanced with a 4-2 upset of the Denver Nuggets.
The Timberwolves will be without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu due to injuries.
Victor Wembanyama said the Timberwolves will pose a tougher, more tactical challenge than Portland.
Jaden McDaniels posted a career-high 32 points in Game 6 to clinch Minnesota’s series win.

Summary

Spurs Favored

The Spurs are listed as massive -1400 favorites to defeat the Timberwolves and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
San Antonio, the No. 2 seed, entered the playoffs after sweeping Portland in five games.
ESPN analyst Jared Weiss predicts Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will quickly defeat Minnesota.
The -1400 odds reflect the market view that Timberwolves injuries heavily tilt the series toward San Antonio.

History

Historical Context

On June 14 1998, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz 4-2 in the NBA Finals, clinching Michael Jordan’s sixth championship with a 45-point Game 6 and a game-winning shot with 5.2 seconds left. Both teams had tied for the league’s best 62-20 record, and the series set a then-record 18.7 Nielsen rating, the last Finals without a California, Florida or Texas team until 2021.

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Timberwolves Advance Semifinals

The San Antonio Spurs will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the semifinals on May 4, 2026, after Minnesota advanced with a 4-2 upset of the Denver Nuggets.
The Timberwolves will be without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu due to injuries.
Victor Wembanyama said the Timberwolves will pose a tougher, more tactical challenge than Portland.
Jaden McDaniels posted a career-high 32 points in Game 6 to clinch Minnesota’s series win.

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