Timberwolves hang on against Spurs for third straight win

Donte DiVincenzo scored a team-high 26 points off the bench, including two key late 3s.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama backs towards the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle in the first half at Target Center in Minneapolis on Dec. 29, 2024. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

As Donte DiVincenzo was being interviewed on the court, the crowd at Target Center let out a "Donte" chant.

DiVincenzo drilled a game-tying 3-pointer with 5:34 remaining and made another from downtown with just under three minutes to go that extended the Minnesota Timberwolves' lead to five points. The Timberwolves held on to the lead the rest of the way in a 112-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs — their third straight win — Sunday night in Minneapolis.

DiVincenzo appears to be finding his rhythm in Minnesota. He finished with a team-high 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes off the bench Sunday night. It was his third consecutive game scoring in double figures. On a night four of five Wolves starters finished with a negative plus-minus, DiVincenzo posted a game-high plus-23.

"He's stringing them together right now," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said of DiVincenzo. "Making really quick decisions. ... He's given us everything. He's given us everything that we knew that he was with the rebounding and the defense and the shot-making and the smart play."

The Spurs (16-16) still made things interesting in the final three minutes. Victor Wembanyama made it a two-point game with a dunk with 31.8 seconds to go. After a timeout from the Wolves (17-14), Anthony Edwards — who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds — missed a floater, giving San Antonio the ball back with 25.1 seconds remaining.

Wembanyama drew a foul on Rudy Gobert, who was attempting to deny him the ball in the post, but missed one of his two free throws as the Wolves held on to a 111-110 edge. DiVincenzo grabbed the defensive rebound off the miss and was fouled, making 1 of 2 from the free-throw line himself. The Spurs had one last chance with 12.1 seconds remaining.

Jeremy Sochan got off a look at a potential game-winning 3 with DiVincenzo's hand in his face as time expired.

It didn't come close.

The Wolves led by 12 points at the halftime break, but the Spurs exploded for 37 points in the third quarter while holding the Wolves to 25. Wembanyama scored 11 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter. He got plenty of help during the game from Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell, who finished with 24 and 22 points, respectively. For the Wolves, Gobert finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds, 11 of which were on the offensive glass. Julius Randle scored 16 points.

Minnesota built the halftime advantage behind a dominant second quarter in which it held San Antonio to just 12 points. DiVincenzo scored 11 of Minnesota's 32 points in the quarter as the Wolves were rolling heading into the second half.

But the Spurs rallied to tie it up after the third quarter and led by as many as eight in the fourth before the Wolves battled back. Two key 3s from DiVincenzo were key to Minnesota sneaking out with the victory Sunday night.