Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs addressed a wide range of topics during his practice interview on Thursday, May 14, ahead of Friday’s Game 6 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals.

Asked about the aftermath of the previous incident in Minnesota, Wembanyama said, “Been working with the team to come back after a loss, taking care of my body, watching film, being locked in at practice, simple as that.”

On whether his early scoring rhythm in recent games was planned or natural, he explained, “I think it’s super important for us, the way we started the game, because it sets the tone. Now the challenge is to do it for 48 minutes.”

Responding to questions about labels used to describe his recent performances, Wembanyama said, “They ain’t mutually exclusive, so I’m looking for both.”

When asked directly about whether he would have changed anything from the previous incident, he stated, “I mean, it was two games ago. It’s the playoffs. I’m focused. I was focused on the game today, and now I’m focusing on the game in Minnesota in three days. It’s the playoffs. We got to move on, and I got to care about my team.”

He also addressed physical play and emotional control during the series, saying, “I feel like… The rage baiting would have been maybe one of the strategies, so I feel like I need to stay composed as a team.”

On his anticipation to return to the court, he added, “Very, very much. I mean, I was fresh. Feeling good, but honestly, it’s hard to tell if it was just game five. Obviously, I’m going to be excited. I’m going to have butterflies.”

Discussing the defensive identity of the Spurs, Wembanyama noted, “I would say it’s an area where you need to be willing to do it and to do the sacrifices and to do the extra effort. And it’s been working pretty well. We can get better. But when we’re locked in and apply to scouting, we’re really, really good.”

He also credited the coaching staff, saying, “Oh, I mean, all of it.”

Reflecting on a viral moment involving head coach Gregg Popovich, Wembanyama said, “He maybe wanted to make a statement or make his talking even more impactful by being there. But he gives feedback and talks to us regularly, you know, throughout series, throughout games. So, as always, when he speaks, everybody listens.”

Wembanyama also analyzed momentum swings in the series, pointing to execution lapses. “I explain it by their experience. It’s a team that knows how to take advantage of their opponents’ mistakes. And it’s something that has hurt us in the past that we have to progress on.”

He added further detail on those stretches, saying, “To come back to the fact of taking runs sometimes and being in weak moments, how do you manage these dynamic alternations? And tonight, for example, in the beginning of the third quarter, you take a 14-2 and then you take a run directly after.”

Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, May 15, at 8:00 PM ET at Target Center in Minneapolis, where the Spurs lead the series 3-2 heading into the matchup.