Rudy Gobert returns from injury to help Timberwolves win fifth in a row, routing Spurs

Kent Youngblood, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Mar 9, 2025

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MINNEAPOLIS — Rudy returned.

It became official less than an hour before the Minnesota Timberwolves’ game against San Antonio on Sunday night at Target Center.

After missing 10 games because of a lower-back issue, Rudy Gobert, the big Wolves center, returned to action, returned to the starting lineup, returned to a team that found an offensive rhythm in his absence.

So what did that mean?

The Wolves won their fifth consecutive game, 141-124, over a Spurs team playing without Victor Wembanyama, moving into a tie with Golden State for sixth in the NBA’s Western Conference.

Before the game Wolves coach Chris Finch said Gobert’s return would mean a readjustment would be needed. Not Sunday. Despite early foul trouble, Gobert scored 16 points with eight rebounds in 20 minutes.

And the Wolves offense hummed from start to finish in this game. Minnesota shot 55.8% overall and made 21 of 42 3-pointers while scoring a season-high in points. The Wolves (37-26) got double-figure scoring from Gobert, Anthony Edwards (25), Jaden McDaniels (16), Julius Randle (14), Naz Reid (20), Mike Conley (13) and Dante DiVincenzo (17).

And they needed it. Because the Wolves struggled to guard the undermanned Spurs. San Antonio shot 55.3% themselves and got to the free-throw line 24 times. But a 15-6 run to end the third quarter turned a game that was a little close for comfort into an easy win.

De’Aaron Fox — who entered the game averaging 33.7 points in three prior games against the Wolves — scored 22 points, one of five Spurs players in double figures.

Minnesota scored 30 second-chance points, got 57 points off the bench and scored 62 points in the paint.

Gobert hit both of his shots, had three rebounds and six points in the first quarter, which ended with the Wolves up 37-29. But his third foul before the quarter ended Gobert also drew his third foul, sending him to the bench.

But the Wolves led by as much as 11 and got 11 points from Edwards and eight from McDaniels while shooting 57.7%.

That lead grew to 14 in the second quarter, but the Wolves let the Spurs hang in the game by sending them to the line and struggling on defense. The result was the lead was the same at the half (eight) as it was after quarter. The Wolves were shooting better than 57% and had a 15-4 edge on second-chance points, the Spurs had an 11-3 edge from the line and was shooting better than 53%.

The Spurs got within five early in the third quarter and were within six with 3:24 left in the quarter. But then the Wolves got 3-pointers from three players in a 15-5 run to end the quarter, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 3 putting Minnesota up 109-94 entering the fourth quarter.

That was the beginning of the end of San Antonio’s chances. The Wolves outscored the Spurs 20-11 to start the fourth quarter.

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