The Minnesota Timberwolves tried their best to get in the head of Victor Wembanyama, but all it did was fuel the San Antonio Spurs star in Tuesday night's Game 5.
San Antonio defeated Minnesota in blowout fashion, 126-97, with as Wembanyama recorded a monster line with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, and three blocked shots in 33 minutes of play. It was Wembanyama's first game back since being ejected in Game 4 after throwing a violent elbow at the neck of Timberwolves center Naz Reid.
The Spurs lost that game without their star center, which lit a fire under him to help his team win Game 5.
In the first quarter of Tuesday night's game, Wolves guard Ayo Dosunmu was seen approaching Wembanyama and talking smack while the two appeared to share a laugh and lightly shove the other away.
Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu exchange words with Victor Wembanyama early in Game 5 of Timberwolves-Spurs 🍿
(via @NBAonNBC)pic.twitter.com/FDwSEcj22B
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 13, 2026
After the game, the Spurs star was asked about that exchange and whether his elbow from Game 4 was enough of a “release” as a response to the physicality he's been dealing with.
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“I feel like rage baiting would have been maybe one of their strategies,” Wembanyama said, channeling a social media term in his response. “So I feel like we just stayed composed as at team.”
"I feel like rage baiting would have been maybe one of their strategies"
Victor Wembanyama speaks on the exchanged words with Ayo Dosunmu 😳 pic.twitter.com/w5bQf4HGnc https://t.co/kMjr4oVcwt
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 13, 2026
Ayo Dosunmu had a solid game for himself in a start, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocked shots on 7-of-14 shooting from the field in the loss. As a team, however, the Timberwolves shot just 38.6 percent from the field while the Spurs made 15 more field goals on the night, shooting 52.8 percent from the field.
Game 6 won't be until Friday night, so both the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves will have time to rest and prepare for the potential elimination game.
The Minnesota Timberwolves tried their best to get in the head of Victor Wembanyama, but all it did was fuel the San Antonio Spurs star in Tuesday night's Game 5. San Antonio defeated Minnesota in blowout fashion, 126-97, with as Wembanyama recorded a monster line with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, and three blocked shots in 33 minutes of play.