The San Antonio Spurs are 90 minutes of basketball away from their first Western Conference Final appearance since 2014. They are also a 5.5-point road favourite tonight in Minneapolis, which by itself underlines how dramatically the playoff hierarchy of the conference has been re-drawn around Victor Wembanyama.
The path to closing out Minnesota in Game 6, ESPN's Jay Williams said, runs through one specific instruction.
"As Wemby goes, so go the Spurs," Williams said on Get Up. "You look at game two in the first round matchup against Portland — concussion protocol, he was out, they lost. Game one, first round of this series, he goes zero from eight from the field, physicality, they lose. The elbow game, the right angry elbow, they lose. You have to be physical with him from the beginning. There's no way he can have 18 points in the first quarter the way he plays. He has to be on his back each and every possession."
Williams was specifically referencing Game 5, when Anthony Edwards' elbow drew a technical and re-set the tone of a series that the Wolves were once trailing 3-1. Minnesota lost that game by 29 points. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said the officiating is now the asterisk hanging over Game 6.
"So much about situations like this is about how the officials let the teams play," Windhorst said. "I would expect Minnesota to try to take advantage of being at home to be a little bit rougher in those situations. And the thing about the Spurs — they have impressed me at every step this season with their poise. So I do not think Minnesota can count on San Antonio not being ready and handling the situation. They're going to have to beat them straight up."
The deeper strategic puzzle Windhorst was watching, however, was on the other side of the ball.
"The biggest chess match going on in this series right now is Ant Edwards going against the Spurs defence and trying to keep him from getting the ball and shooting the ball," Windhorst said. "If he comes up at half court and brings the ball up, they're double teaming him. But then really, the last game in game five, they were trying to double team him off of the ball. If you look at games three and four, Ant averaged 24 shots in those games and 34 points. That's what Minnesota is looking for. Game five, he played 40 minutes and only got 13 shots up."
For Edwards, who at 24 is already in the rarefied air of players who have reached three consecutive Conference Finals before their 25th birthday — a list that includes Kawhi Leonard, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson — the symbolism of Game 6 is plain. Win and Minnesota lives. Lose and his playoff exit becomes the headline of the off-season.
ESPN's Ryan Clark made the case on First Take that any narrative about Edwards 'failing to get over the hump' is premature. "Hyperextended knee, coming back, finding his way and the success that's been there before — I'm just not going to make it a big deal if Ant can't get his team over the hump this season," Clark said.
But Stephen A. Smith pushed back hard, framing the matchup as a defining one for the Wolves star.
"All other players in Timberwolves history have combined for 17," Smith said, citing Edwards' 18 career 30-point playoff games at age 24. "He has a chance to crack into the final four. Think about the upper echelon Anthony Edwards is in. We love to live in the moment where we're going to make it a big damn thing that Anthony Edwards can't get his team over against a 7-foot-6 alien in Wimi. Let's just put it in perspective."
ESPN's Monica McNutt, asked whether a Wolves comeback from down 3-2 was 'McNuts', said it was not.
"Greeny, this one is not McNuts," McNutt said. "I do think that they're going to lose tonight, though. I think the Wolves are going to come back. This team is inexperienced, but I must admit I've been thoroughly impressed in this postseason run, and Victor Wembanyama is the incredible equalizer in terms of eliminating the inexperienced."
The Spurs are 7-3 in the playoffs this year. In all three losses, Wembanyama failed to play or failed to score efficiently. The Wolves have one job. Tip-off is 9:30pm ET in Minneapolis.
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*Originally published on [NBA News Global](https://nbanews.global/article/wembanyama-spurs-wolves-game-6-physicality-jay-williams-may-2026). Visit for full coverage.*
