NBA: Spurs blast Minnesota, advance to first conference finals since 2017 as Pistons force Game 7

The San Antonio Spurs of Victor Wembanyama qualified for the Western Conference Finals after soundly defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109, closing the series 4-2. It is the first time the Texas team has reached this instance since 2017.

Stephon Castle, the 21-year-old point guard, was the standout player of the game with 32 points (11-of-16 shooting from the field), 11 rebounds and six assists, exploiting the spaces left by Minnesota's defense, which was focused on slowing down Wembanyama. The Frenchman contributed 19 points and six rebounds in a more subdued night for him.

The Spurs dominated from start to finish, reaching halftime with a 74-61 lead. In the third quarter they increased their defensive intensity, especially with a suffocating double-team on Anthony Edwards, who finished with 24 points but very low efficiency (9-of-26 shooting from the field).

In an unusual gesture, Edwards approached the Spurs' bench with eight minutes left in the game and the hosts trailing by 25 points to congratulate them. "At that point you know you're not going to get back in the game, so you just try to give them the respect they deserve," the point guard explained afterward.

Now the Spurs will face the Oklahoma City Thunder. "We know it's going to be a completely different series. They're a team that knows how to play basketball," Wembanyama warned. "I'm impatient, even if the body is tired. Just the words 'conference finals' are already crazy," he stressed. "I've heard it all my life and now I'm there, it's a special feeling. I hope it's the first of many to come."

Wembanyama vs SGA: The great duel of the Western Finals

NBA fans are already eagerly anticipating the showdown between the Thunder and the Spurs, the two best teams in the Western Conference, with special attention to the stellar duel between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama.

Both SGA and Wembanyama, along with Nikola Jokic, are finalists for the season MVP award, whose winner will be known this Sunday.

Although Oklahoma City comes in as the clear favorite, San Antonio has been the surprise team of the year, exceeding all expectations. After six years without playoffs, their initial goal was simply to return to the postseason and continue building around Wembanyama, but they have accomplished much more.

"We really don't care about the noise outside. We knew we were ahead of schedule probably in December of last year," Stephon Castle said of the team's unexpected progress.

Pistons survive and force another game

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks already await the winner of the series between Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons in the conference finals.

On Friday, the Pistons rallied to beat the Cavaliers 115-94, tying the series 3-3 and forcing a decisive seventh game to be played Sunday in Detroit.

Cleveland, with James Harden (23 points) and Donovan Mitchell (18), had everything in its favor to close the series at home, supported by three straight wins and the push of its home crowd, where they had not lost in these playoffs.

However, the Pistons, the top seed in the East, once again demonstrated the enormous competitive spirit they have shown throughout the postseason.

After rallying from a 3-1 first-round deficit against Orlando Magic, Detroit has managed to survive four times in these playoffs when it was on the brink of elimination.

Cade Cunningham again led the team with 21 points, eight assists and five 3-pointers.

The Pistons will look to qualify for their first conference finals since 2008 on Sunday, while the Cavaliers haven't reached that stage since 2018.

"There's going to be a ton of energy, it's going to be crazy," Cunningham predicted. "The fans will go all out as well, it's going to be fun."