Second Round Grades: San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs over the Timberwolves (Photo via X)

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games to advance to the Western Conference Finals. After losing Game 1, the Spurs won four of the next five games and finished the series by blasting Minnesota in Games 5 and 6. When all was said and done, San Antonio looked like the better, deeper, tougher and more talented team.

Victor Wembanyama

Wembanyama didn’t have a perfect series but he was obviously the most important player on the court. Defensively, he was the centerpiece of everything San Antonio did. The Timberwolves had to think twice before entering the paint and there were long stretches when the lane simply wasn’t open for business.

His Game 1 offensive struggles were painful. He missed all eight of his three-point attempts and didn’t play with enough oomph. But even in that game, he set a playoff record with 12 blocks. Wembanyama learned from his Game 1 struggles and thrived the rest of the way. His Game 3 performance was one of the best of his career, and his Game 5 response after the Game 4 ejection was exactly what San Antonio needed.

For the series, Wembanyama averaged 19.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.2 blocks and 2.7 assists in 29.2 minutes per game. The three-point shooting wasn’t good and the errant elbow in Game 4 caused a lot of drama so this wasn’t quite an A-plus series. But his defense was so dominant, his rebounding was so valuable, his gravity opened up so much for everyone else and he came up so big in key moments that there’s no question he was the main reason the Spurs advanced. 

Grade: A-

De’Aaron Fox

Fox’s series was a mixed bag — but the overall impact was positive. He was bad in Game 1. There’s no real way around that. He looked hesitant, turned the ball over too much and didn’t bring enough offensively or defensively. For a veteran guard in a playoff series, that opening performance wasn’t close to good enough.

To his credit, Fox recovered. He was much better in Game 2, fought through a rough start in Game 3, helped keep the Spurs alive after Wembanyama’s ejection in Game 4 and then had his best performance in Game 6. That closeout game was the version of Fox that San Antonio had been waiting for all series. He had 21 points and nine assists on 8-for-10 shooting while looking calm, impossibly fast and in control.

For the series, Fox averaged 17.7 points and 5.0 assists while shooting 42.9% from the field and 32.0% from three. That efficiency wasn’t great and there were too many stretches where he looked uncomfortable. But his defense was better than expected, he protected the ball well after Game 1 and he finished the series on a high note.

Grade: B

Stephon Castle

Castle was fantastic. This was the type of series that makes it difficult to keep expectations subdued. He’s still young, he still makes mistakes and he still gets himself into foul trouble too often … but, man, this kid looked like a future star.

Offensively, Castle was powerful, patient and productive. He averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists while shooting 54.8% from the field. The Timberwolves tried to use size and physicality against him and Castle usually responded by playing with even more force. When they dared him to shoot in Game 6, he made them pay by hitting five straight three-pointers.

Defensively, Castle was also a major positive. He competed hard, used his strength well and gave San Antonio a rugged perimeter defender to build around. The turnovers were the main issue. He had some loose moments and there were times he needed to slow down. But considering his age, role and degree of difficulty, this was a highly impressive series. Castle was a difference-maker from start to finish. 

Grade: A

Devin Vassell

Vassell wasn’t spectacular but he was rock solid. His scoring numbers weren’t huge, as he averaged 12.3 points, but he fit well around the rest of San Antonio’s weapons. The Spurs didn’t need him to force the issue. They needed him to hit open threes, defend, move the ball and avoid mistakes — and he mostly did exactly that.

The most encouraging part of Vassell’s series was his defense. He was more locked in than usual, read plays quickly and held up well in individual matchups. In multiple games, his defensive activity was better than what his box score suggested. That mattered against a Minnesota team with a lot of size and brute strength.

Offensively, Vassell shot 43.8% from three and made timely shots throughout the series. There were moments when he passed up looks he probably should have taken. Still, he played within himself, made smart decisions and helped keep the floor spaced.

Grade: B+

Julian Champagnie

Champagnie had a useful series even though his shooting ran hot and cold. He averaged 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 36.6% from three. For a player whose primary job is to hit shots, his misses were sometimes loud. But his overall game was better than just a simple shooting evaluation.

The rebounding was huge. Champagnie repeatedly helped San Antonio finish defensive possessions and created a few extra chances on the offensive glass. His 12-rebound performance in Game 3 was one of the quiet keys to that win. He also defended well enough, moved the ball smartly and didn’t make many careless mistakes.

But, again, his shooting wasn’t always trustworthy. He missed the potential game-winner in Game 1, went 0-for-5 from three in Game 4 and struggled from deep again in Game 5. Thankfully for the Spurs, he kept playing hard even when the jumper wasn’t falling.

Grade: B

Dylan Harper

Harper was really, really good. For a rookie coming off the bench in a playoff series, it’s hard to ask for much more. He averaged 14.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in only 24.9 minutes per game while shooting 56.9% from the field. That’s ridiculous production for someone his age in this environment.

What stood out most was his poise. Harper didn’t look rushed. He didn’t look scared. He attacked Minnesota’s defense with confidence and repeatedly gave the Spurs scoring punch when the offense needed a lift. His Game 4 performance was especially impressive. With Wembanyama out, Harper poured in 24 points and nearly helped San Antonio steal a game.

Harper’s three-point shooting wasn’t great and his decision-making wasn’t perfect. He had a few rookie moments. But his downhill scoring, rebounding and defensive competitiveness were all major positives. He already looks like someone the Spurs can trust in playoff minutes. That’s a very big deal. 

Grade: A

Keldon Johnson

Johnson’s series was mostly one that he should forget. He struggled quite a bit — although, to his credit, there was one reason to smile.

Game 5 was the clear high point. Johnson looked like the regular season version of himself. He attacked with power, finished through contact, rebounded with energy and gave San Antonio 21 points in 22 minutes. That performance helped the Spurs turn a tight game into a blowout and gave the bench a badly needed boost.

The rest of the series wasn’t nearly as encouraging. Outside of Game 5, Johnson averaged 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 38.7% from the field. His defense was shaky at times and some of his drives were too frantic. Let’s hope he plays better as the postseason goes along. 

Grade: C

Luke Kornet

Kornet had an important job: help the Spurs survive the minutes when Wembanyama was on the bench. For the most part, he did that. His numbers weren’t loud, as he averaged 3.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 13.9 minutes. But his value showed up in his rim protection and his ability to keep Minnesota from living in the paint during non-Wembanyama minutes.

There were some rough moments. In Game 1 and Game 3, Kornet didn’t rebound well enough and didn’t have enough of a defensive presence. When he’s not cleaning the glass, his margin for error gets thin. But he bounced back with useful outings and finished the series with his best game.

In Game 6, Kornet had six points, six rebounds and four blocks in 14 minutes. That’s exactly what the Spurs needed from their backup center. He competed hard, protected the rim and bought Wembanyama valuable rest. Kornet wasn’t perfect, but he did his job in a difficult matchup. 

Grade: B

Carter Bryant

Bryant didn’t play a ton, but he made his minutes count. He averaged 12.1 minutes and slowly earned more trust as the series progressed. For a young player in a physical playoff series, he looked surprisingly comfortable.

Defense was the main reason Bryant stayed in the rotation. He was strong, active and willing to take on difficult assignments. His work against Anthony Edwards in Game 6 was legitimately impressive. He made Edwards work, used his body well and didn’t back down from the moment.

There were mistakes. Bryant fouled too much in Game 2 and had a rough Game 4 with three turnovers and three fouls. But the good outweighed the bad. He shot 54.5% from the field and 42.9% from three, defended with energy and looked like he belonged. That’s a win for a raw rookie.

Grade: B+

Harrison Barnes

Barnes never really found a role in this series. He averaged only 8.5 minutes per game, and as the series went on, it became clear that the coaching staff trusted the younger players more. It’s hard to argue with that decision considering how well Harper and Bryant played.

To Barnes’ credit, he didn’t totally fall apart. He had a few useful moments as a rebounder, passer and veteran presence. He hit a few shots in low-leverage minutes and didn’t force much. But the Spurs needed more than that if he was going to remain a real part of the rotation.

Grade: C-

Mitch Johnson

Coach Mitch Johnson had a strong series. Game 1 wasn’t great. The offense was too stagnant, Wembanyama didn’t get enough clean looks and the Spurs looked a step slow in terms of adjustments. Game 4 also got away from him late after Wembanyama’s ejection, although that was obviously a difficult situation to manage.

Other than that, Coach Mitch did a whole lot right. The Spurs adjusted well after Game 1. Wembanyama got better touches, Castle was empowered, Harper got real responsibility and Bryant earned meaningful minutes. Johnson didn’t overreact to bad stretches and didn’t stubbornly force veteran minutes just because of experience.

His best work came at the end of the series. He limited KJ when needed, trusted Bryant defensively, let Harper cook and didn’t panic when Game 5 started to get wobbly. The Spurs won the final two games by a combined 59 points. That doesn’t happen by accident. Coach Mitch pushed the right buttons and helped San Antonio close the series in convincing fashion. 

Grade: A-