SAN ANTONIO – Keldon Johnson scored 25 points, Doug McDermott added 23, and the San Antonio Spurs beat Minnesota 107-98 on Sunday night, their second win over the Timberwolves in a week.
San Antonio was 16-for-40 on 3-pointers, one shy of its season-high in 3-pointers. McDermott was 7 of 14 from beyond the arc and Johnson made half of his 10 attempts.
Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 26 points and Anthony Edwards had 18. Rudy Gober had nine points and 12 rebounds.
The Spurs were without starters Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell and key reserve Josh Richardson. As significant as the injuries and illness have been, a dark cloud has hung over the team since the firing of Joshua Prim on Friday for allegedly exposing himself to several women.
Despite this, the Spurs improved to 5-2 on the season, which is expected to be in contention for the worst record in the league.
“I didn’t know they were that fearless,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “Maybe if you don’t know what the hell you’re doing, sometimes you just go do it. You just go play.”
Spurs did it from the start.
The Spurs held the Timberwolves to 23 points in the first quarter, a season-low by an opponent and a Timberwolves-low.
After trailing by 19 points in the third quarter, Minnesota opened the fourth with a 14-2 run to cut San Antonio’s lead to 87-84, but McDermott and Johnson hit key late 3-pointers to preserve the victory.
TIPS
Timberwolves: Former Spurs G Bryn Forbes and F Kyle Anderson were honored during a first-quarter timeout in a video highlighting their time in San Antonio. … Towns wasn’t happy with Taurean Prince after Edwards fouled Zach Collins on a layup midway through the second quarter. Towns approached Prince, all the while pointing toward the court. Prince dropped his hands and walked away, clearly disappointed with Townes.
Spurs: Vassell sat out with a sore left knee and Richardson missed the game with a lower back strain. Sochan and Robbie went missing with flu-like symptoms. Robbie was eliminated an hour before tip-off. … G Romeo Langford made his 12th career start in his second season for the Spurs and fourth overall. The 6-foot-5 Langford blocked a floating 7-foot-1 Gober in the closing seconds of the first quarter. … Rookie guard Blake Wesley left the game in the first half with a left knee injury following a clumsy landing after being fouled. Wesley went to the locker room shortly after making a pair of free throws.
ADJ
The Spurs waived Primo an hour before Friday’s game, ending their relationship with the 19-year-old guard after he allegedly exposed himself to several women, including a team contractor.
Popovich would not elaborate on when or where the incidents occurred, when the Spurs became aware of Prim’s actions or why he was not immediately dismissed if the allegations are credible.
“I think that under these circumstances, I think it is inappropriate to say anything other than what we have already stated in our statement,” Popovich said.
FURTHER
Timberwolves: At Phoenix on Tuesday.
Spurs: Play the third of four games Wednesday against Miami.
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