Victor Wembanyama responded after being ejected from Game 4 with 27 points and 17 rebounds, Keldon Johnson added 21 points off the bench, and the San Antonio Spurs pulled away to rout the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97 on Tuesday night. 

With the Game 5 win, the Spurs took a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinals series.

In Sunday’s Game 4 loss, Wembanyama was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and an ejection for elbowing Naz Reid in the chin and throat.

Wembanyama appeared determined to atone for his mistake as soon as possible, scoring 16 points in the first six minutes of Game 5 and helping San Antonio jump out to a 24-9 lead in front of a fevered crowd.

Minnesota fought back to tie the game at 61-61 in the third quarter, but San Antonio responded with an 11-2 run and closed the third on a 19-6 run to blow the game open.

Wembanyama was 9 of 16 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and added five assists and three blocked shots. Stephon Castle had 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting, and De’Aaron Fox added 18 points.

The win put the youthful Spurs, led by a 22-year-old MVP finalist in Wembanyama, one win away from the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champs.

Anthony Edwards’ 20 points led the way for the Timberwolves, who were held to 38.6% shooting from the field and 27.3% from 3-point range.

Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels each chipped in 17 points.

The series shifts back to Minnesota on Friday, when the Timberwolves will look to force a Game 7.

3-2! pic.twitter.com/NSGoRXabcY

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) May 13, 2026