Timberwolves fall to Wembanyama's 43 in San Antonio, but Gobert is set to return Monday

The Minnesota Timberwolves went into San Antonio on Saturday without Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo, and Victor Wembanyama made them pay. He scored 43 points with seven rebounds and six blocks in the Spurs' 121-111 win, according to the Associated Press recap carried by CBS Minnesota. Minnesota dropped to 4-3 and has now lost three of its last four.

Wembanyama needed a career-high 34 shots to get there, going 17 of 34. ESPN noted it was the first time San Antonio had won a game in which he took 30 or more attempts. One of those earlier 30-shot nights was a 112-110 Minnesota win, so the Wolves have already seen what happens when his volume isn't enough. This time Dylan Harper added 25 points for San Antonio, and De'Aaron Fox chipped in with points, rebounds and assists in a game that kept the Spurs' winning streak alive at four.

The Wolves were right there at halftime. They won the second quarter 33-26, scoring 10 points off five San Antonio turnovers, and led 61-60 at the break. The game turned early in the third. The Spurs opened the half on a 13-4 run, and LaMelo Ball picked up his fifth foul during that stretch, per the AP account in the Houston Chronicle. Ball played only 20 minutes before fouling out with 3:43 left, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. Yardbarker's roundup credited a 10-0 run with helping San Antonio take a five-point lead into the fourth, and Minnesota never got back in front.

Ayo Dosunmu led the Wolves with 27 points and nine rebounds. Jonathan Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels scored 19 each. Rookie Joan Beringer started at center in Gobert's place and spent much of the night opposite Wembanyama, a hard assignment for anyone.

The good news came Sunday. Gobert, who missed the game with low back spasms, is not on the injury report for Monday, according to FantasyPros and CBS Sports. That puts Beringer back on the bench. Edwards, who is recovering from knee surgery, and DiVincenzo, who is out after Achilles surgery, remain out.

What it means for Monday against Milwaukee

Minnesota returns home to face the Bucks on Monday, and on paper the season has been better than the recent stretch. The Wolves are averaging 120.0 points and allowing 108.7 through seven games. Their wins have come by big margins: 26 over the Clippers, 23 over Toronto, 22 at Orlando and 25 at Miami. The losses have been close, by five to Golden State and two at Cleveland, plus Saturday's 10. They are 2-1 at Target Center.

The market expects the bounce-back to start right away. Minnesota is a heavy favorite on this site's board for the game, at -388 on Novig, one of the 12 venues listed. Milwaukee is +365 there, and the best price on the Bucks anywhere is DraftKings at +370. The spread is Minnesota -10.5 at +104 on Novig, while Pinnacle has the Wolves at -10 for -106. Novig's total is 233.5 at -104 both ways, and BetRivers has the best over at 232.5 for -114. That's a high number, but it fits a Minnesota team that has scored at least 114 in all but one game.

The venues are close on this one. Prices differ by a few cents at most and the lines by half a point, and sportsbook hold runs from 2.9% to 5.1% across the markets.