Anthony Edwards concedes Spurs were the superior team in Game 6 loss

Minnesota Timberwolves were eliminated from the playoffs after losing Game 6 to the Spurs by 30 points.

Humbling gesture on home court With eight minutes remaining in Minnesota's 139-109 defeat to San Antonio in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, Anthony Edwards approached the Spurs' bench to exchange hugs and handshakes. The Timberwolves star aimed to show respect to the opposing team while still active on the court. "I mean, I just tip my hat to them," he said. "They're just the better team. I mean at that point, you ain't going back in, so you're just trying to give them their respect." ## Spurs dominate to advance to next round San Antonio closed out Minnesota in a decisive 30-point victory to move on and face Oklahoma City in the next round. The Timberwolves suffered their third straight playoff elimination by 20 points or more, following previous losses to Dallas in 2024 and Oklahoma City last season. Both defeats came in conference finals Game 5s, with scores of 124-103 and 124-94 respectively. ## Injuries hinder Minnesota's playoff run Anthony Edwards returned from a first-round knee injury but never regained full strength for the semifinals. Coach Chris Finch praised Edwards' effort despite the setback, noting he wasn't expected back until mid-series. Ayo Dosunmu missed Game 1 with a lower-leg issue, while Donte DiVincenzo's Achilles tear in the Denver series deprived Minnesota of a key three-point shooter. "He spreads the floor like no other," Edwards said. "In a series like this where they're just double-teaming, I would love to have Donte in my slot and just throwing it to him the entire time and shoot 20 3s, but he got hurt last series so we tried to figure it out." ## San Antonio's balanced attack seals victory Even with a below-average outing from Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio overwhelmed Minnesota with a 20-0 second-quarter surge led by Stephon Castle's 32 points. The Timberwolves battled back to within 12 points late in the first half, but their starters finished 18-for-59 from the field, unable to sustain the fight. The Spurs' defensive intensity and supporting cast proved too much for a Minnesota team visibly exhausted by the roller coaster. ## Future questions loom over Wolves' roster The Timberwolves face an offseason of reflection after their latest playoff disappointment. With young stars like Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokic dominating the West, Minnesota's path to the Finals looks increasingly difficult. Luka Doncic and potentially LeBron James could join the Lakers, while Houston's young core adds to the challenge. Coach Finch acknowledged the difficulty of solving the conference puzzle, stating, "You've either got to be a problem or have a solution. You've got to either be built in a way that troubles your opponent, that's something they don't have, or you've got to have a counter to what they do have." ## Edwards' championship questions remain unanswered Anthony Edwards insists he is satisfied with the current roster and doesn't feel the need for another star alongside him. Still, he admitted the team wasn't ready to compete for a title this season. "I feel like you're supposed to build championship habits or playoff habits in a regular season," Edwards said. "No, we didn't build the habits during the regular season." The offseason will center on whether Edwards believes Minnesota can close the gap and reach the NBA Finals.