Gregg Popovich Calls Spurs’ Victory Over Timberwolves ‘Best Win’ of Victor Wembanyama Era

The San Antonio Spurs’ rookie phenom led his team past the Western Conference’s current No. 1 seed, the Minnesota Timberwolves, on Saturday night.

The San Antonio Spurs didn’t look like the team with the worst record in the Western Conference on Saturday night against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. Victor Wembanyama and Co. successfully traded punches with the West’s current No. 1 seed before staging an electrifying fourth-quarter comeback.

In the end, San Antonio gutted out a 113–112 victory, a result which clearly impressed longtime Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

“This is the best win we’ve had,” Popovich told reporters afterward.

Wembanyama, the 20-year-old rookie phenom, also appreciated the importance of beating Minnesota, likening the win to the Spurs’ Dec. 15 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, which ended an 18-game losing streak.

“… It is definitely a good one, and I think tonight we have to feel proud about what we did and get used to the feeling so we can repeat it,” Wembanyama said.

Victor Wembanyama scored 23 points as the San Antonio Spurs upset the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs overcame 32 points from Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and 19 apiece from Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.

Instead, it was Wembanyama who once again made headlines. The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft registered 23 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals.

The victory proved to be one of the most balanced efforts from the Spurs this season, as five players scored in double figures. Devin Vassell scored a team-high 25 points, Tre Jones dished out 11 assists with just two turnovers and Keldon Johnson fueled the second unit with 14 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

The Spurs (10–36) play host to the Washington Wizards (8–37) on Monday at 8 p.m. ET. The Timberwolves (32–14) play at the Oklahoma City Thunder (32–13) on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.