The San Antonio Spurs, all of their inexperienced selves just made a loud statement. They beat the Timberwolves at their home turf. The Spurs didn’t even allow Anthony Edwards and Co. to enjoy a second of having the lead. This was ruthless execution and precise attention to detail. On the other hand, Minnesota got stuck in a tale of missed shots. They didn’t throw the white flag in until midway through the fourth quarter.

Anthony Edwards walked right up to the Spurs bench to share his respect. He admitted defeat. But commentator Jeff Van Gundy wasn’t pleased with how Ant handled himself in that situation. “I would much rather see him wait till the end of the game,” said the commentator.

This wasn’t like the moment the Bad Boy Pistons walked out on Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Anthony Edwards did shake their hands. He did before the final buzzer, but was still sitting on the team bench, watching the third string players get some touches in the final quarter. Before that, in the time Edwards spent on the court, he was trying.

The Timberwolves cornerstone finished the game with 24 points. He didn’t have an efficient night. Edwards took 26 shots, but never went passive due to his misses. However, in general as a team, Minnesota didn’t come with the ferocity they’ve shown during the playoffs. The Spurs grabbed 31 more rebounds, creating a 21-12 second chance points advantage.

The Timberwolves never brought the deficit to single digits. They tried to play catch up, but the Spurs found their runs, such as a 20-0 stretch to open the second quarter. By the time Edwards sat in the fourth, he knew the starting string wouldn’t go back in. That’s the reason he went over to the Spurs’ side.

“At that point, you know you ain’t going back in, so you’re just trying to get them the respect that they deserve,” Edwards explained.

The conduct could have been better from Edwards’ side. However, at no point did he demean the Spurs or his teammates. The Timberwolves had pulled the plug.

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs laugh off inexperience concerns

The Spurs had 60 wins in the regular season. They beat the defending champions, OKC multiple times. Yet, not many seemed to have the Spurs making it far in the playoffs. For most of their players, this is their first rodeo in the postseason. Rookies and sophomores aren’t supposed to take over playoff games. But that’s the sort of group San Antonio has.

In a series clincher on the road, Stephon Castle, a second-year guard added 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Rookie Dylan Harper added 15 points and 5 rebounds making six of his eight shots. And defensively, both of them are hounds.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson called them “attack dogs” after the game for how relentless the backcourt duo can be. They were imposing, using their athleticism to attack the glass and disturb the Timberwolves offense. Victor Wembanyama also believed in the group, never paying any attention to the inexperienced label.

“Heart matters more than anything, for sure. More than physical ability, more than size, more than experience. And I feel like lack of experience — if we don’t know that it’s impossible, we will do it. As simple as that,” said the Spurs cornerstone.

Experience is crucial in decisive moments. For example, Wembanyama smacking Naz Reid in Game 4 was inexperience. But Wemby has been pushed to the floor by the Timberwolves several times after that. He and the Spurs just learn quickly. In the playoffs, where you have to win four before the other, such adaptiveness is far more valuable than experience.

Despite being one of the youngest teams, the San Antonio Spurs are title contenders. A mouth-watering conference finals against the Thunder awaits them. They had the edge during the regular season. Can the Spurs replicate their success against OKC in the playoffs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.