Playoff experience is lived and learned, a concept the Spurs are tired of hearing about.

San Antonio is reaching for the mute button entering Game 2 of the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff semifinal series with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who landed the first punch to take a 1-0 lead on the Spurs’ home floor Monday.

“It’s on me,” Spurs MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama said after a dominant defensive performance in the 104-102 loss.

Minnesota won despite shooting 12 of 21 from the free-throw line because of a lackluster shooting night from the Spurs. Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, the top two scorers for San Antonio during the regular season, combined for 21 points on 10-of-31 shooting. The pair missed all 12 of their 3-point attempts; Wembanyama was 0-for-8. He had 15 rebounds and an NBA playoff single-game record 12 blocked shots but walked off the floor in disbelief as the Spurs lost at home for the second time in six games this postseason.

“I used too much energy (on defense) and things that didn’t really help our team,” he said. “So that’s on me. But first thing I have to start making some shots.”

Wembanyama played only 11 minutes, 41 seconds in the other playoff defeat at home — 106-103 to Portland in Game 2 of their first-round series — because of a concussion.

He wasn’t hurt Monday night, but the Timberwolves did enough to get San Antonio out of a comfort zone. Both teams played plenty of three-quarter court pressure defense and challenged the ball with tight defense for 48 minutes.

Minnesota’s playoff legs held up.

“We know it’s going to be a hard fought series,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said. “That team has success in the playoffs in recent history. They just go through a hard-fought series. They obviously showed the mettle that they have. It’s going to be a fight.”

Anthony Edwards might not be fully healthy for Minnesota. He was a surprise game-time decision and scored 18 points off the bench in Game 1. Edwards is dealing with a knee injury and the Timberwolves were without Ayo Donsumu (calf). Donsumu had games of 25 and 43 points in Minnesota wins over Denver the first round.

The Spurs are shooting for a postseason run for the first time since 2019. As the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, San Antonio entered Game 1 and the series as the prevailing favorite.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch told his team to continue being the aggressors on the day off Tuesday, when he shared the opinion that the team’s film breakdown of Game 1 told a little bit different story about Wembanyama’s big night.

“Historic night. But when we looked at (Wembanyama’s 12 blocks), at least four of them were goaltending,” Finch said. “To me, it’s a little alarming that none of them were called. Here’s a generational shot blocker — 7-foot-6, goes after everything — and there’s no heightened awareness that these blocks could be goaltends? The third possession of the game is a goaltend. A clear, obvious one. So let’s just say there were four (violations), that’s eight points. You know the value of eight points in an NBA game? It’s massive.”

Finch credited his guards, in particular, for getting downhill and not shying away from the swat threat. That plan is unchanged ahead of Game 2 on Wednesday before the series shifts to Minneapolis for Games 3 and 4.

“He gonna have to block it every time, I ain’t gonna stop going downhill. I told him that when he said a little something,” Terrence Shannon Jr. said. “He gonna have to block it every time, man. I know he ain’t gonna block it every single time. I’m gonna dunk on him.”

Shannon and Julius Randle, who scored 21 points with 10 rebounds, proved to be difficult one-on-one matchups for the Spurs.

“Just was kind of just reading the game,” Randle said of Monday’s win. “What’s going on, what’s working at certain points of the game, just just trying to be like, aware, present, reading what’s going on the game earlier.”

San Antonio had the ball, down two, with seven seconds left. Julian Champagnie’s 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded bounced off the front of the rim, allowing Minnesota to steal home court advantage.

“Felt like there were times we got a little in between, whether that was to shoot or not to drive or not to pass or not,” Johnson said. “Just in general, we were indecisive, and that hurt us. In the first half, we picked up the pace a little bit there. In the second half, we missed some good shots.”

Rookie Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 18 points off the bench, with many of his minutes coming with starting point guard Stephon Castle on the sidelines in foul trouble. Castle fouled out with 3:20 to play, marking the second straight game he’s been on the bench for the closing minutes.

“In a game like this, our goal is only to be better moving forward,” Harper said. “Every little thing matters. It’s a series (not just) one game. I mean, we’re gonna bounce back. We’re not gonna let this one dwell with us. Just gotta just tweak some things and limit, limit the mistakes.”

Minnesota has now won three of the four games played between the teams this season.

–Field Level Media

The PGA Tour sees Rory McIlroy return to action for a signature event ahead of next week’s PGA Championship, while LIV Golf is in Virginia and the LPGA Tour makes its annual stop in New Jersey.

PGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: Truist Championship, Charlotte, May 7-10

Course: Quail Hollow Club (Par 71, 7,583 Yards)

Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)

Defending Champion: Sepp Straka

FedEx Cup Leader: Matt Fitzpatrick

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS); Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m.

X: @TruistChamp

NOTES: This is the sixth of eight signature events this season, featuring a $20 million purse and elevated FedExCup points. … The event returns to Quail Hollow after being held at The Philadelphia Cricket Club in 2025. … World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is not playing this week, but the field is highlighted by seven of the top-10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking and 46 of the top 50 in the FedExCup standings. … Lucas Glover is making his 22nd career start in the event, seven more than any other player in the field. … Rickie Fowler enters with three consecutive top-10 finishes in signature events. … Sponsors exemptions include Tony Finau, Max Homa, Mackenzie Hughes and Webb Simpson. … The winner will receive a spot in next week’s PGA Championship if not otherwise exempt. … Five players are in the field via the Aon Swing 5: Ricky Castillo, David Lipsky, Matt Wallace, Chandler Blanchet and Kristoffer Reitan. … Wyndham Clark owns the tournament scoring record at Quail Hollow with the 265 he posted in winning in 2023.

BEST BETS: Rory McIlroy (+580 at DraftKings) returns from his post-Masters break to one of his favorite course. The four-time winner of the Truist Championship owns the 18-hole scoring record of 61 at Quail Hollow set in the third round in 2015. … Cameron Young (+920) is coming off his second win of the year to rise to No. 3 in the world rankings. … Xander Schauffele (+1175) has five top-25 finishes in six previous event starts, topped by a second place in 2024 after holding the lead after each of the first three rounds. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1700) has won his past two starts on tour and also finished runner-up at The Players this year. … Sepp Straka (+4400) seeks to become the first player to successfully defend at the Truist. He enters with three top-10s so far this year.

THIS WEEK: Myrtle Beach Classic, Myrtle Beach, S.C., May 7-10

Course: Dunes Golf and Beach Club (Par 71, 7,347 Yards)

Purse: $4M (Winner: $720,000)

Defending Champion: Ryan Fox

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m.-Noon ET; Saturday-Sunday: 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel)

X: @MyrtleBeachCl

NOTES: The opposite-field event offers 300 FedEx Cup points to the winner, a two-year PGA Tour exemption and a spot in next week’s PGA Championship if not otherwise qualified. … The field includes five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, 18-year-old Blades Brown and notable tour veterans including Billy Horschel, Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker. The highest-ranked player in the field is No. 39 Marco Penge, followed by No. 42 Aaron Rai.

Last Tournament: Cadillac Championship (Cameron Young)

Next Tournament: PGA Championship, Philadelphia, May 14-17

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

THIS WEEK: LIV Golf Virginia, May 7-10

Course: Trump National DC (Par 72, 7,679 Yards)

Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M)

Defending Champions: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Crushers GC

2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday: 1-6 p.m. ET (Fox One); Friday: Noon-2 p.m. (Fox); Saturday: 1-6 p.m. (FBN); Sunday: Noon-5 p.m. (Fox)

X: @livgolf_league

NOTES: This is the seventh of 13 events this season, with the scheduled New Orleans event in June postponed. It’s the league’s third event in Virginia and its second at Trump National DC, with Harold Varner winning in 2023. … The top player who is not otherwise exempt and in the top 3 of the 2026 LIV Golf individual standings will earn an entry into next month’s U.S. Open. Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau lead the standings and are already exempt, with 11 players still holding a mathematical chance of claiming the third spot. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … Phil Mickelson continues to be sidelined by an undisclosed personal medical matter. He will be replaced on the HyFlyers GC by Scott Vincent.

Last Event: LIV Golf Mexico City (Individual: Rahm; Team: Legion XIII)

Next Event: LIV Golf Korea, May 28-31

LPGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: Mizuho Americas Open, West Caldwell, N.J., May 7-10

Course: Mountain Ridge Country Club (Par 72, 6,735 Yards)

Purse: $3.25M (Winner: $487,500)

Defending Champion: Jeeno Thitikul

Race to CME Globe Leader: Nelly Korda

HOW TO FOLLOW:

TV: Thursday-Friday: 10-12 p.m. ET; Saturday: 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel)

Streaming: Thursday-Friday: Noon-2 p.m. ET; Saturday: 5-7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GolfChannel.com)

X: @LPGA

NOTES: This is the first time since the event began in 2023 that it is not being held at Liberty National Golf Club. … Tournament host Michelle Wie West is in the field competing in an LPGA event for the first time since the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open. She will also compete in this year’s U.S. Women’s Open. … Thitikul went bogey-free over the final 27 holes in winning by four shots last year. … The event includes 24 AJGA junior players competing in a Stableford competition.

Last Tournament: Mexico Riviera Maya Open (Korda)

Next Tournament: Queen City Championship, Cincinnati, May 14-17

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

THIS WEEK: Insperity Invitational, The Woodlands, Texas, May 8-10

Course: The Woodlands CC (Par 72, 7,002 Yards)

Purse: $3M (Winner: $450,000)

Defending Champion: Stewart Cink

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Cink

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Friday: 7-9 p.m. ET (Golf Channel – Tape Delay); Saturday: 8:30-10:30 p.m. (GC – Tape Delay); Sunday: 5-7 p.m. (GC)

X: @ChampionsTour

NOTES: Bernhard Langer holds the tournament scoring record of 25-under 191 set in 2007. … Cink has won four of the first eight events this season and leads the standings by more than twice as much money earned than No. 2 Zach Johnson. … Langer is one of seven World Golf Hall of Fame members in the 78-player field.

Last Tournament: Regions Traditions (Cink)

Next Tournament: Trophy Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco, May 8-10

DP WORLD TOUR

THIS WEEK: Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, Barcelona, May 7-10

Course: Real Club de Golf El Prat (Par 72, 7,057 Yards)

Purse: $2.75M (Winner: $458,333)

Defending Champion: Eugenio Chacarra

Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 7:30-10 a.m. ET; Saturday: 7:30 a.m.-Noon (Golf Channel); Sunday: 7 a.m.-Noon (Golf Channel).

X: @DPWorldTour

NOTES: This begins the six-event European Swing, the fourth of five Global Swings on the 2026 Race to Dubai. The player with the most points at the end of each Swing earns a $200,000 bonus and entry into every event in Phase Two of the season called the “Back 9”. … Spain was the site of the tour’s first event in 1972, when it was known as the European Tour.

Last Tournament: Turkish Airlines Open (Mikael Lindberg)

Next Tournament: Soudal Open, Antwerp, Belgium, May 21-24

–Field Level Media

The Tampa Bay Rays placed left-hander Steven Matz on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with elbow inflammation and selected the contract of right-hander Chase Solesky from Triple-A Durham.

Matz, 34, is coming off one of his best starts of the season when he allowed one run on four hits over six innings Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. He is 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA over seven starts during his first season with Tampa Bay.

The IL move for Matz is retroactive to Monday.

In 12 major league seasons, Matz is 64-63 with a 4.18 ERA over 253 outings (179 starts) for the New York Mets (2015-20), Toronto Blue Jays (2021), St. Louis Cardinals (2022-25), Boston Red Sox (2025) and Rays.

Solesky, 28, is set to make his major league debut after seven seasons in the minor leagues. In his first season in the Rays’ organization, he is 2-1 with a 6.57 ERA in six starts at Durham.

–Field Level Media