Johnson and Paul lead Spurs past Timberwolves 113-103 as Popovich misses game with illness

SAN ANTONIO, TX – Keldon Johnson scored 25 points, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 113-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night. The win came without head coach Gregg Popovich, who was absent due to illness. Chris Paul contributed significantly with 15 points and 13 assists, while Jeremy Sochan added a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Victor Wembanyama chipped in with 17 points and six rebounds.

At 39 years old, Paul made history by becoming the second-oldest player in NBA history to record 10 assists in consecutive games, following Hall of Famer John Stockton, who achieved this at age 41.

For the Timberwolves, Julius Randle led the way with 21 points, and Anthony Edwards added 18. Minnesota was playing on the second night of a back-to-back, arriving in San Antonio around 4:15 a.m. after a thrilling comeback win against Denver the night before.

The Spurs managed to cut down on turnovers, recording 11 for the second game in a row, a notable improvement after averaging 17.2 in their earlier matches. They had a season-high 22 turnovers in a loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday but have since combined for 22 turnovers in their two recent victories.

Looking ahead, the Timberwolves will host the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, while the Spurs are set to face the Los Angeles Clippers.