Timberwolves fall 121-111 in San Antonio as Fox and Wembanyama punish a thin lineup

The Minnesota Timberwolves led at halftime in San Antonio on Saturday but could not hold on, falling 121-111 to the Spurs and slipping to 4-3. Victor Wembanyama put up 43 points, seven rebounds and six blocks, and De'Aaron Fox, who spoke to reporters after the game, gave the Spurs a steady second option. The loss is Minnesota's third in its last five games.

The Wolves were missing two starters. The Associated Press reported that Anthony Edwards is out following knee surgery and Rudy Gobert sat with back spasms. Then foul trouble took away a third piece. LaMelo Ball picked up his fourth foul with 7:40 left in the first half, drew his fifth early in the third quarter, and fouled out with 3:43 remaining. He finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in about 20 minutes.

For a while, Minnesota managed fine without him. After Ball went to the bench in the second quarter, a 16-0 run turned a 10-point deficit into a 51-46 lead. Jonathan Kuminga and Ayo Dosunmu each scored five points during the stretch, and the Wolves took a 61-60 lead into the break, according to ESPN's game page. San Antonio started the third quarter on a 13-4 run and stayed in front from there. Dosunmu led Minnesota with 27 points and nine rebounds, and Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels scored 19 apiece.

Fox did his damage efficiently. NBC Sports had him making 8 of 10 shots from the field and 6 of 7 free throws, with eight rebounds and seven assists. Rookie Dylan Harper added 25 points for the Spurs, who have now won four straight. Wembanyama shot 17 of 34 and capped his night by blocking a Kuminga 3-point attempt and running the floor for a dunk that got him to 40.

What it means for Monday against Milwaukee

The Wolves come home Monday night to face the Milwaukee Bucks. Their record is now 4-3, but it has come in two very different stretches. They opened 3-0, beating Miami by 25, Orlando by 22 and Toronto by 23. Since then they have gone 1-3. All three losses were close: two points at Cleveland, five at home to Golden State, and Saturday's 10 in San Antonio. Their four wins have come by an average of 24 points, and they have outscored opponents by 79 points over seven games. That points to a team that has run into trouble in close games more than one that is being outplayed.

Target Center has been kind enough so far. Minnesota is 2-1 at home, and its most recent home game was a 127-101 win over the LA Clippers. What happens Monday depends on who is available. With Edwards out after surgery and Gobert's back still a question, the Wolves will lean again on Dosunmu, Kuminga and McDaniels for scoring. They also need Ball to stay out of foul trouble for 48 minutes. When he was on the floor Saturday, Minnesota was able to compete with one of the West's best teams.