Fueled by a furious start from Victor Wembanyama (27 points), who was ejected from the previous game, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97 on Tuesday, giving them a 3-2 lead in their second-round NBA playoff series.

The Texans will have the opportunity on Friday in Minneapolis to reach the Western Conference Finals, for which the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder have already qualified. A potential seventh game to decide the series would take place on Sunday in San Antonio.

Excluded for a violent elbow to the face of an opponent in the previous game, which his team lost, Victor Wembanyama, who escaped a suspension, showed his revenge, venting his frustration at the start of the game with a diabolical first six minutes, scoring 16 points and fighting on every play.

"The way you start the game is very important, it sets the tone. Then the challenge is to last 48 minutes," he explained at a press conference.

- "No response" -

His opponent Anthony Edwards praised the giant's (2.24 m) performance: "tonight we had no answer to some of his actions, we were hoping he would miss, he started very strong we had to fight to come back".

The 22-year-old Frenchman started with a scare, seeing his right ankle twist on Rudy Gobert's foot, who was at fault for being too close to receive a long-range shot from "the alien".

Saved by his joint flexibility, "Wemby" followed up with a putback on the rebound, two long shots and two duels won near the basket against Gobert, four-time voted best defender of the year.

Wembanyama, still reeling from the rough play, had his composure tested by a provocation from Ayo Dosunmu. Remaining calm, he immediately soared to slam down a spectacular one-handed dunk that set the tone for the game.

"I felt that provocation was one of their strategies," commented "Wemby," who brushed aside questions about his elbow: "In the playoffs you have to know how to move on and focus on the team."

- "Maturity" -

His coach, Mitch Johnson, praised his "maturity." "A lot has happened in the last game and the following 48 hours. This young man has shown versatility in very different situations, demonstrating great maturity, and not just in his direct production."

The Wolves came back when Wembanyama took a breather, then the Texans took an 18-point lead in the 2nd quarter, saw the visitors equalize at the beginning of the 3rd quarter, only to accelerate again with the energy of Keldon Johnson (21 pts) and pull away in the final quarter.

Less prominent after the break, as his teammates performed so well, Wembanyama still produced a substantial stat sheet, with 27 points (9 of 16 shooting), 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks in 33 minutes.

The backcourt trio of De'Aaron Fox (18 pts), Stephon Castle (17 pts) and Dylan Harper (12 pts) once again gave the Wolves' porous defense a real headache on Tuesday.

Anthony Edwards was surprisingly discreet (20 points), Julius Randle rather clumsy (17 points on 6 of 17), and Rudy Gobert overwhelmed and hampered by quick fouls (4 points, 5 rebounds).

Twice-reigning Western Conference finalists, the Wolves have their backs against the wall before Game 6 on Friday in Minneapolis.

The Spurs are aiming for their first qualification at this level since 2017. Most of the Texans, including Victor Wembanyama, are experiencing the playoffs for the first time, which the franchise is competing in for the first time since 2019.