Pistons dominate 2nd half to beat Cavs and force Game 7

SPURS 139, TIMBERWOLVES 109

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds to highlight another dominant performance from the San Antonio backcourt, and Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs raced past Minnesota to win the series in six games.

De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs. They will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.

Wembanyama, who bounced back from his stunning Game 4 ejection with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the Game 5 blowout, was well-guarded by the Wolves in Game 6 and had a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. But he still served as a constant defensive deterrent in the paint, and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition whenever they had the opportunity to run — which was often.

The size, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were too much for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.

Castle made his first five 3-pointers and went 11 for 16 from the floor. Fox was 3 for 3 from deep, and Julian Champagnie made four 3s among his 18 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Wolves by 97 points in the series and never once trailed by double digits.

Anthony Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got another spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense. Julius Randle had just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.