Wolves rule Spurs from deep

Big man returns in a high-scoring affair at Target Center.

By Jace Frederick, Pioneer Press – March 9, 2025

If anyone was concerned about Rudy Gobert’s return to the lineup potentially mucking up what’s been a good Timberwolves offense of late, Sunday’s result had to alleviate some anxiety.

In the center’s first game back in nearly a month after he was sidelined with lower-back issues, Minnesota’s offense exploded in a 141-124 victory over the Spurs at Target Center for the team’s fifth-straight win.

The Timberwolves buried 21 triples on 50% shooting as eight players scored in double figures, including all five starters.

“It might’ve been, from an aesthetics point of view,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said, “our best offensive game of the season.”

And it happened in Gobert’s return.

“Do you believe in coincidences?” Gobert quipped.

The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard

“I thought we did a good job moving the ball,” Gobert said in his on-court, postgame television interview. “That’s the team that we want to be. When we do that consistently, we’re tough to guard.”

Anthony Edwards led the way with 25 points,, but the balance was eerily similar to what Minnesota (37-29) demonstrated in its win Friday in Miami. No one scored north of 15 points in that win.

Admittedly, Sunday’s offense was far more effective as a whole. The Timberwolves recorded a gaudy 38 assists on 53 made shots.

After sitting on nine assists in each of his previous two games, Julius Randle got to the double-digit mark Sunday. He finished with 14 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Minnesota has won 10 straight games in which Randle has played.

Gobert had 16 points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes in his return. Gobert said he felt “great” on the court.

“It’s really hard for me to not be out there,” he said. “You know, I had to make sure I came back and be able to come back strong and don’t just come back too early and get out again. So I’m happy that today was great, great timing.”

The criticism for the Wolves at large would be the lack of defense, which is usually a core tenant of teams featuring the Frenchman. But San Antonio (26-36) scored largely at will. The Spurs shot 55% from the field.

But the Wolves were able to score alongside San Antonio, something the team likely couldn’t have done earlier in the season as it struggled mightily in its attempt to establish a consistent rhythm offensively. There was a stretch in the middle of the season where scoring 110 points felt like a mountain the Wolves couldn’t climb. Now Minnesota is eclipsing that mark with ease.

“We’ve just got to try to maintain this. We’ve been building,” Finch said. “We’ve been playing really good offense for a long time. Today, everybody kind of pitched in and did their thing well.”

Pair the growth there with Minnesota reaching its full defensive potential given its personnel, and the Wolves could be a force to be reckoned with in the West down the backstretch of the season.

“As far as the energy on our team and how we’re playing and the cohesiveness and togetherness, we’re showing out there, this is the best it’s felt all year,” Randle said. “I just want to continue to build on that.”

PHOTO: Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates withcenter Rudy Gobert (27) after Gobert made a basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. | AP Photo/Abbie Parr