Wolves press Spurs, but Ginobili answers

SAN ANTONIO — Kirk Snyder didn't wear a Timberwolves uniform the first three times his new team played San Antonio this season, and he didn't witness Spurs guard Manu Ginobili do everything but shovel off the Target Center sidewalk in his two games there.

But he knew two things after Ginobili scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter of the Spurs' 99-84 victory over the Wolves on Friday night at AT&T Center.

No. 1: A fellow -- even if he is the favorite to win the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award -- shouldn't shoot 70.9 percent from three-point distance in a four-game season series. That's what Ginobili did against the Wolves this season. He made five of eight three-point attempts on Friday and saw his season percentage against the Wolves go down.

"You'd think you couldn't shoot 70 percent alone by yourself in the gym," Snyder said.

No. 2: And that same fellow shouldn't be allowed such an efficient scoring night.

"A guy shouldn't score 26 points in 25 minutes and still be walking," Snyder said. "That shouldn't happen."

The Wolves had the Spurs' underappreciated guard right where they wanted him Friday -- anywhere but at Target Center -- and they still left AT&T Center and the state of Texas after a two-game trip with everything for which a fervent Wolves fans could hope: Competitive performances and losses to the Rockets and Spurs that do no further damage to their NBA draft lottery probabilities.

Trailing 59-39 early in the third quarter, the Wolves changed up their defenses and started making some shots with a 21-4 run that drew them within four points late in the quarter. That turnaround left Wolves coach Randy Wittman wondering what might have been if an apparent Randy Foye basket and possible three-point play hadn't been wiped away by a suspect charging call just before the quarter expired.

"I was proud we persevered," Wittman said.

Ultimately, the Wolves flew home empty after Ginobili scored all but one of the Spurs' points in a 14-2 run early in the fourth quarter. Included in that telling three-minute stretch were three of his five three-pointers that allowed the Spurs to win their 50th game for the ninth consecutive season.

The last time these two teams played -- the same day the Wolves acquired Snyder from Houston in a trading-deadline deal -- Ginobili scored 44 points, including the winning shot with 6.2 seconds to play, in a one-point victory at Target Center. He had scored 31 at Target Center in a November comeback victory.

After the game, somebody asked Wittman if he had seen enough of Ginobili for a season.

"Yeah, I am tired of seeing him, to answer your question," he said. "For a guy coming off the bench, scoring 26 points in 25 minutes, that's a pretty good Sixth Man."

• The Wolves shot only eight free throws, and the Spurs attempted twice that many. Wolves forward Al Jefferson shot 7-for-20 from the field, but didn't get to the free-throw line.

• Wittman said Jefferson should get consideration for the NBA's Most Improved Player award. "I think you've got to, with what he's done on a consistent basis," said Wittman, who also said Sebastian Telfair should be considered. "Being the main option for the first time in his career, sometimes it takes a person awhile to get accustomed to that. You're seeing different things from him, too. That's part of being an improved player," Wittman said.

• Wittman visited before the game with former Indiana University coach Kelvin Sampson, who is spending some time with the Spurs and friend Gregg Popovich after he was forced to resign last month because of NCAA rules violations.