Spurs-Thunder: And just like that, the heavyweight battle is upon us ... and San Antonio seems ready

The final nail in Minnesota’s coffin came two minutes into the fourth quarter Friday night, with Spurs forward Julian Champagnie finally hitting his second triple in seven tries, throwing both fists in the air and thanking the basketball gods for fortune and favor.

Technically, there was more than enough time for the Timberwolves to muster up some energy and mount a comeback. Earlier in the evening, a near-30-point lead had been trimmed to just 11 points, with all the signs and symptoms of a fiery franchise not yet ready to call it quits. But Minnesota’s dejected, collective look as its players took the scenic route to the bench was enough of an indicator that the game — and series, for that matter — had gone on long enough. The Wolves held on for as long as they could, a valiant effort over the course of six games in the West semis, but the Spurs have much bigger goals on their agenda, and a date with the reigning champs awaits.

“I understand the general expectations of what we’re supposed to do in October aren’t necessarily aligned with where we’re at now,” head coach Mitch Johnson said following San Antonio’s 139-109 win. “But we never talked about what we were going to be or or do. We just knew that we had a lot of potential and were going to try and be the best team we could be. Those guys in the locker room have given themselves to the team and each other.”

The story of Game 6, depending on the vantage point, could be told in a variety of ways.

We could talk about the brilliance of youth that resides in Stephon Castle, putting forth a composed two-way show on the road at just 21 years old, finishing his evening with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists on eye-popping 11-for-16 shooting, becoming the youngest player in the shot-clock era to record a playoff line of that magnitude.

“He was pretty damn good,” Johnson said.

We could also talk about the poise and calming presence of De’Aaron Fox, who, through his 21-point, nine-assist night, showcased exactly why general manager Brian Wright not only pulled off the blockbuster trade to acquire him a little over a year ago but made a $229 million commitment to the veteran guard in hopes of establishing a sense of urgency for a talented but inexperienced Spurs squad. Fox’s ability to maintain control, even when his large, French teammate was off the floor, will be called upon in the days and weeks to come.

“He had moments in this game that we needed to settle us,” Johnson said of Fox. “He made multiple plays all night long, whether they showed up in the box score or not, that settled us and [he] doesn’t get enough credit for that.”

Or, we could discuss how Johnson’s insistence on sending extra bodies to the glass, one final trick up his sleeve, resulted in a lopsided 60-29 advantage on the boards — the biggest showing of aggression in a series dictated by shoves, bumps and unnecessary elbows. Such emphasis on physicality provided a catalyst for a wholesale approach on hobbled star Anthony Edwards, showing him multiple looks, siphoning off his oxygen supply and limiting his impact to 24 points on an inefficient 26 shots.

But the crux of Friday night boiled down to Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert.

“The nature of the playoffs means that we’re going to play against better and better teams,” Wembanyama said. “And that was already elite between the first and second round. But we have the guidance. Good coaching staff, the best actually, so we can trust them.”

In some ways, it had to end like this. Gobert, the older, wiser mentor. Wembanyama, the eager, intrepid pupil. Once again, the 22-year-old’s presence proved to be the deciding factor, with Minnesota converting a lowly 48.7% of shots at the rim in Game 6, one of the worst outings since the playoffs began last month. Wembanyama was only credited with three blocks but, in what has come to be his defining quality, the ability to eradicate ideas of attempts is more jarring than the ones that actually come to fruition. And his overall impact, which has somehow improved at the most critical part of the season, landed at the feet of his dear friend. Through 125 playoff possessions when directly defended by Wembanyama, Gobert mustered just 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting with four turnovers. In Game 6, a theme became an existence, with Wembanyama swatting away Gobert’s efforts at one end and craftily finishing over his countryman at the other. The Wolves center finished without scoring a single point in 22 minutes, missing all four of his field-goal attempts and snagging just three rebounds.

(The unfortunate ending for Gobert, considering how poorly he fared against Wembanyama and how centripetal he is to Minnesota’s strategy, surely will snowball into what appears to be a long, tough offseason ahead. His most recent performance won’t deter his detractors in regard to his postseason viability, and with a $36 million player option for 2027-28 — in addition to Edwards’ postgame comments on how the franchise can improve — that could open the door for some uncomfortable conversations, as it appears the franchise has stalled.)

All things considered, however, this is what the basketball world dreamed of when the Spurs announced themselves to the world in Vegas nearly six months ago. The audacity and gall to not only meet the reigning champions at their level but exceed it — even if momentarily — provided a collision course roadmap that leads us to the present day. The Western Conference finals – with Thunder star Jalen Williams seemingly back in the fold – will be a test unlike no other for the Spurs. That they’ve won four of five meetings this season means everything and nothing. Both sides have made their thoughts and feelings clear about the other; the appreciation for ethical hoops, how award races should be defined and where the true advantages lie. But San Antonio has built a brand on belief, and only four wins separate it from the Finals.

“Of course, we’re confident,” Wembanyama said of another date with basketball’s best. “But we need to keep the right confidence level. Right now, I’m not even thinking about it, I’m just thinking about recovering. We’ll see about it in the next couple of days, but it’s gonna be the same as usual — prepare, take care of your body, scout, watch the film and focus.”