Spurs Are Back: San Antonio Ends the Timberwolves’ Run and Marches to First Western Conference Finals Since 2017

For the first time since the days of Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker leading championship-level basketball in Texas, the San Antonio Spurs are heading back to the Western Conference Finals. And they did it by taking down one of the NBA’s most dangerous young teams: the Minnesota Timberwolves.

What was supposed to be the official arrival of Anthony Edwards as the face of the Western Conference instead became the coronation of San Antonio’s new era. The Spurs closed out the series with poise, discipline, and a level of maturity that looked eerily similar to the dynasty years that made the franchise one of basketball’s gold standards.

The biggest difference in the series was San Antonio’s ability to control tempo and execute late in games. Minnesota had the athleticism, the highlight plays, and the star power, but the Spurs repeatedly made the smarter basketball plays when it mattered most. Whether it was locking in defensively, forcing tough shots, or getting quality possessions in crunch time, San Antonio consistently looked like the more complete team.

And honestly, that has become the identity of this Spurs team throughout the playoffs.

The Timberwolves had moments where it felt like they could overwhelm San Antonio with physicality and explosiveness, especially behind Edwards’ scoring bursts, but every time Minnesota made a run, the Spurs responded calmly. No panic. No rushed possessions. Just execution. That veteran-like composure is shocking considering how young parts of this roster still are.

But the moment everyone is talking about came with roughly six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

With the game slipping away and Minnesota staring elimination in the face, Edwards was seen walking over toward the Spurs bench area and dapping up San Antonio players during a stoppage near the huddle. Social media instantly exploded. Fans couldn’t believe what they were watching in the middle of an elimination game.

To some people, it was simply respect between competitors. To others, it looked like a player mentally checking out before the final buzzer even sounded.

Either way, it was not a great look.

In today’s NBA, players are friendlier than ever, and there’s nothing wrong with mutual respect after a hard-fought series. But doing it while your season is still alive? In the middle of the fourth quarter? That’s going to follow Edwards all offseason. Fair or unfair, superstar players are judged differently, especially when expectations are championship-level.

And unfortunately for Edwards, the internet never misses an opportunity to create a narrative.

Meanwhile, San Antonio couldn’t care less about the controversy. The Spurs are four wins away from reaching the NBA Finals, something that felt impossible just a few years ago when the franchise was wandering through the post-dynasty rebuild. Now? The culture looks restored, the future looks terrifying for the rest of the league, and the Spurs suddenly feel like the team nobody wants to play.

The craziest part? This might just be the beginning.