Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

A look at each team in the NBA draft lottery — and how it's gone for them in the past originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA draft lottery is Sunday, with Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn having the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick.

The lottery began in 1985, when the New York Knicks received the top selection and altered the course of their franchise by taking Patrick Ewing. The format has had its share of changes since then, and there might be another coming soon, but for now the process should be pretty familiar. The top four selections are determined via a weighted draw. Then picks No. 5-14 are dispersed in reverse order of finish from this season.

Last year, The Associated Press reviewed each franchise’s draft lottery history. Here is an updated version — including only the teams involved in this year’s lottery.

___

Washington Wizards/Bullets

Lottery Wins: 2001 (Kwame Brown) and 2010 (John Wall)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2024; No. 3 in 2012 and 2013

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1993, 1995, 2004, 2009 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Only 11 teams have received multiple No. 1 picks in the lottery era, so the Wizards’ luck hasn’t been all bad. But dropping from second to sixth last year was a blow. If their pick had fallen out of the top eight this year, it would have gone to the Knicks, but after finishing with the league’s worst record, Washington doesn’t have to worry about that.

Indiana Pacers

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1985 and 1988

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: Indiana was one of the worst teams in the league when the lottery began and narrowly missed out on Ewing in 1985. The Pacers’ pick this year goes to the Los Angeles Clippers if it is outside the top four.

Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets

Lottery Wins: 1990 (Derrick Coleman) and 2000 (Kenyon Martin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1991; No. 3 in 1987 and 2010

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1988

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 14%

Details: The Nets had just a 4% chance at the No. 1 pick when they won it in 2000, and they would have another top pick to their credit if they hadn’t dealt their selection away before the 2017 lottery.

Utah Jazz

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 3 in 2011

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: The Jazz haven’t been in the lottery much over the past four decades, and when they have they’ve often been an afterthought. A trade gave them the Nets’ pick at No. 3 in 2011. Last year, Utah was in the top pre-lottery spot but fell to the No. 5 pick.

Sacramento Kings

Lottery Wins: 1989 (Pervis Ellison)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2018; No. 3 in 1991

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2009 and 2010

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 11.5%

Details: Sacramento’s lone lottery victory led to a forgettable selection at No. 1, but the Kings haven’t had as many heartbreaking drops as you might think. Only once, in 2009, have they had the top pre-lottery position.

Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009 and 2019; No. 3 in 1996

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9%

Details: Plenty of No. 2 picks but no No. 1s. In 2003, the Grizzlies moved up four spots to No. 2, but that pick belonged to Detroit because of a trade. Had Memphis moved up one more spot to No. 1, its pick would have been protected — and the Grizzlies would have had a chance to draft LeBron James.

Atlanta Hawks

Lottery Wins: 2024 (Zaccharie Risacher)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2005; No. 3 in 2001, 2007 and 2018

Dropped Out Of Top 3: None

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 9.8%

Details: The Hawks finally exited the never-won-the-lottery club two years ago, making good on a 3% chance to land the first pick. This year Atlanta gets either New Orleans’ first-round pick or Milwaukee’s, whichever is better. (The Pelicans are seventh in the pre-lottery pecking order and the Bucks are 10th.)

Dallas Mavericks

Lottery Wins: 2025 (Cooper Flagg)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1994

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1986, 1992, 1993 and 2018

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 6.7%

Details: The Mavericks were one of the unluckiest franchises in lottery history before capitalizing on a 1.8% chance to land Flagg. Before that, Dallas had never once improved its pick position. The mid-1990s were particularly dire. In 1993 the Mavericks went 11-71 but dropped three spots to No. 4. A 13-69 mark the following season didn’t yield the top pick either.

Chicago Bulls

Lottery Wins: 1999 (Elton Brand) and 2008 (Derrick Rose)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2002 and 2006; No. 3 in 2004

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2000 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 4.5%

Details: The Bulls landed the No. 1 pick just a season after losing Michael Jordan. They’ve struggled to build a contender since then, but they’ve had their chances.

Milwaukee Bucks

Lottery Wins: 1994 (Glenn Robinson) and 2005 (Andrew Bogut)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2014

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2007

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: Neither of those No. 1 picks was as much of a game changer for the Bucks as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was taken outside the lottery in 2013. If Milwaukee’s pick this year is higher than New Orleans’, it would go to Atlanta and the Bucks would get the Pelicans’ selection.

Golden State Warriors

Lottery Wins: 1995 (Joe Smith)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2020; No. 3 in 1986, 1993 and 2002

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1985, 1988 and 2001

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 2%

Details: The Warriors were the lottery’s first big losers, receiving the No. 7 pick in the very first edition in 1985 after finishing tied for the worst record in the league. It wasn’t long before the NBA changed the rules to make drops of that size impossible.

Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1990, 2007 and 2022; No. 3 in 2009

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 2008

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1.5%

Details: Of the eight franchises that have never won the lottery, this is one of the luckiest. While in Seattle, the team moved up eight picks to get Gary Payton in 1990 and climbed three spots to select Kevin Durant in 2007. Now the Thunder have the Los Angeles Clippers’ pick.

Miami Heat

Lottery Wins: None

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 2008; No. 3 in 1990

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989 and 1991

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 1%

Details: The Heat have neither needed nor received much help in the lottery recently, but they could have used some during the franchise’s difficult early years. Miami dropped from first to fourth in 1989 after winning 15 games, then fell from second to fifth a couple of years later.

Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats

Lottery Wins: 1991 (Larry Johnson)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1992, 2012 and 2023; No. 3 in 1999, 2006 and 2020

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1989, 2005, 2013, 2024 and 2025

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: 0.5%

Details: Charlotte has had so many lottery appearances that it is not surprising the franchise has experienced some good and bad. Jumping six spots to get Alonzo Mourning in 1992 might’ve been even more important than landing Johnson at No. 1 the year before. The Hornets also moved up a whopping 10 spots to No. 3 in 1999 and took Baron Davis.

Los Angeles Clippers

Lottery Wins: 1988 (Danny Manning), 1998 (Michael Olowokandi) and 2009 (Blake Griffin)

Other Top-3 Picks: No. 2 in 1989, 1995, 2001 and 2004; No. 3 in 1985 and 2000

Dropped Out Of Top 3: 1987 and 1999

Chance Of Receiving No. 1 Pick This Year: None

Details: The Clippers have had bad luck in a variety of ways, but the lottery has generally treated them fairly. Three No. 1 picks and six more top-three picks more than make up for occasional disappointments, like missing out on David Robinson after a 12-win season in 1987. Los Angeles has to give its pick to Oklahoma City, but the Clippers receive Indiana’s if it is No. 5 or No. 6.

Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points as the San Antonio Spurs moved into a 2-1 lead in the NBA's Conference semi-finals - while the New York Knicks are one win from progressing from their series with Philadephia 76ers.

France international Wembanyama took 15 rebounds and blocked five shots against the Minnesota Timberwolves, helping seal a 115-108 victory on the road.

The 22-year-old scored nine of the Spurs' first 11 points as they raced into an 18-3 lead, but Anthony Edwards, who scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, dragged his side back into contention and the match was tied at 51-51 at the end of the second quarter.

The Spurs led 106-103 with three minutes to go, before Wembanyama's third three-pointer and a flurry of free throws helped the Western Conference second seeds pull away from their hosts.

In Philadelphia, Jalen Brunson scored 33 points for the Knicks as they won 108-94 to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final.

The visitors had turned around a four-point first quarter deficit to lead 60-52 at half-time.

Quentin Grimes made a pair of three-pointers to bring the 76ers within four points in the fourth quarter, before Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart all scored to set up the victory for the Eastern third seeds.

The two best-of-seven series resume on Sunday, with the Knicks hoping to progress to the Conference final and the Spurs aiming for a third consecutive win.

• Thunder and Pistons extend leads in play-off semis
• Wembanyama shines as Spurs and Knicks win in play-offs

MINNEAPOLIS — Victor Wembanyama delivered another masterpiece with 39 points, 15 rebounds and more game-wrecking defense for the San Antonio Spurs, who took a 2-1 lead in the second-round NBA playoff series with a 115-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

Wembanyama went 13 of 18 from the floor and 10 of 12 from the line, adding five blocks and a full night of paint deterrence as the Spurs won their second straight game after dropping the opener at home.

“It was like holding the ship together. We had a lead. We didn’t need to rush. We needed to be consistent,” Wembanyama said.

De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points, and Stephon Castle had 13 points and 12 assists with a team-high plus-17 rating.

Anthony Edwards had 32 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves, whose defense kept them alive after a woeful start but allowed the Spurs to shoot 6 for 10 from 3-point range in the pivotal third quarter.

Minnesota will host Game 4 on Sunday night. The series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday.

Jaden McDaniels drew Wembanyama’s fifth foul with 6:18 left and brought the Wolves within 99-98 on pair of free throws, but the Spurs never trailed in the second half despite never leading by double digits. Wembanyama sat for about a minute before coach Mitch Johnson sent him back in.

“We were going to not leave any bullets in the chamber in terms of keeping him on the bench,” Johnson said. “We were going to play him, and then if he fouled out, we deal with that.”

Wembanyama didn’t flinch despite the foul risk, finishing with 16 points in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer that answered Reid’s pushed San Antonio’s lead to six with 3:06 to go. Reid tried another one near the end of the shot clock on the next possession that hit the rim and Wembanyama snagged for another rebound.

Edwards, who showed Minnesota yet again his swift healing ability by returning from a deep bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee after just one week to make the start of the series, had 22 points in the first half to help them snap back from an early 18-3 deficit.

“He needed that. We needed that,” coach Chris Finch said. “He’s battling back to find a game like this, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the result that went along with it.”

The Wolves missed their first 12 shots and didn’t get a basket to go down until Rudy Gobert’s putback with 6:52 had elapsed, but unlike in the 133-95 drubbing they took in Game 2 on Wednesday they had the defensive intelligence and tenacity at the ready to make up for the long shooting lulls.

Edwards hit a buzzer-beating 31-footer at the end of the first quarter, and McDaniels swished a 3-pointer from the wing to end the first half with a 51-all tie.

McDaniels and Julius Randle were the most affected by Wembanyama’s presence, unable to get their short-range and rim-attacking game going. They shot a combined 8 for 34 from the floor.

“I went in the locker room and told the guys we had a bunch of great looks,” Edwards said. “If we make our shots, we win this game.”

The noise inside Target Center swelled with every passing minute Friday night, the kind of playoff atmosphere designed to rattle inexperienced teams. Anthony Edwards started for the first time since he returned from a knee injury he suffered in the second round against the Denver Nuggets and every basket he scored sent the crowd into another frenzy.

The noise inside the arena swelled with every passing minute Friday night, the kind of playoff atmosphere designed to rattle inexperienced teams. Instead, Victor Wembanyama stood calmly in the middle of it all. And when the game tightened in the fourth quarter, when Minnesota smelled momentum and the arena leaned forward waiting for a collapse, the Spurs’ superstar answered every challenge himself.

Wembanyama delivered 39 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks as San Antonio escaped with a 115-108 Game 3 victory over the Timberwolves, reclaiming control of the Western Conference semifinal series in the process.

For a moment early on, it looked like the Spurs might cruise. San Antonio burst out of the gates with an 18-3 run, moving the ball crisply and defending with a physical edge that silenced the crowd almost immediately. Wembanyama controlled everything near the rim, while Stephon Castle pushed the pace and found open shooters before Minnesota could settle defensively.

Both the crowd and Timberwolves looked stunned as head coach Chris Finch called a timeout. But playoff games rarely stay comfortable for long and Minnesota responded with a big run to cut into San Antonio’s lead in just five minutes. Edwards slowly dragged Minnesota back into the fight. He attacked the basket relentlessly, hit difficult jumpers through contact and fed energy into the home crowd with every possession. Naz Reid came off the bench firing. Jaden McDaniels battled for loose balls and second chances.

The comfortable Spurs lead was gone, replaced by the kind of tense back-and-forth battle that tests poise more than talent. Every time San Antonio threatened to create separation in the second half, the Timberwolves answered. Edwards turned transition opportunities into highlight plays. Reid knocked down corner threes. The crowd roared louder with every stop.

With the Spurs leading 102-100, a moment when inexperience usually shines, Wembanyama took over completely.

First came the three-pointer that quieted the building. Then a soaring finish at the rim. Then another defensive stop that reminded everyone why Minnesota struggled to attack the paint all night. Possession by possession, the 7-foot-4 star suffocated the comeback. He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter alone, delivering every answer San Antonio needed while the Spurs calmly closed the game at the free-throw line after struggling there for much of the night.

Castle quietly orchestrated the offense throughout the chaos, finishing with 13 points and 12 assists. De’Aaron Fox added 17 points despite an uneven shooting night, while Devin Vassell chipped in key baskets during a critical third-quarter stretch.

But this night revolved around Wembanyama. The sense that even in one of the loudest environments imaginable, with momentum slipping and the Timberwolves surging, the Spurs never truly panicked because their best player never did.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, the crowd that spent most of the night roaring sat mostly silent.

The Spurs had survived Minnesota’s best push. And now, they are two wins away from the Western Conference Finals.

Game Notes

• Victor Wembanyama joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O’Neal among players who have recorded 35+ PTS, 15+ REB, 5+ BLK in a playoff game.
• San Antonio missed eight free throws on Friday night. While it did not hurt them in Game 3, it will lead to a loss against a team like Oklahoma City or New York. They will need to fix that if they want to continue down the road in their playoff journey.
• Minnesota dominated the second chance points: 30-12

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch called out referee Tony Brothers following his team's Game 3 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, taking umbrage with what he called Brothers' "completely unprofessional behavior."

Brothers, the longtime NBA ref, and Finch got into it during a timeout, with players and staff holding Brothers back, while Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards walked Finch away.

"I'm not sure I've seen players hold a referee back from their head coach before..." a reporter began to ask after the game, before Finch cut in: "Pretty unprofessional, huh?"

Tony Brothers and Chris Finch during the last timeout lolpic.twitter.com/YyTER8FsGP

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 9, 2026

He then went in on Brothers.

Finch said he was frustrated over what he perceived as an intentional delay in being granted a timeout.

"I wanted the timeout. I had called it 3 seconds earlier and I wanted the timeout," Finch said. "I said 'I want my 3 seconds back,' ... because he clearly heard me. He looked my way, ignored me, went on with the play ... almost cost us a turnover. So, and then, you know, he lost it.

"Then I went to ask him where the ball was going to be taken in and he screamed at me for that. So, completely unprofessional behavior by him."

Chris Finch on his interaction with Tony Brothers:

"I wanted the timeout and I said I want my 3 seconds back. He clearly heard me. He lost it. Then I went to ask him where the ball was gonna be taken in and he was screaming at me for that. So completely unprofessional behavior… https://t.co/2EzXqtpM7spic.twitter.com/zLImoRFTAX

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 9, 2026

Edwards downplayed the incident after the game, saying it's all part of "competition at the highest level."

"We want to win. Finchy wants to win. Tony Brothers is Tony Brothers. We all love him, so it's all good here," Edwards said.

Edwards scored 32 points, but Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored 39 to lead the way to a 115-108 victory that gives San Antonio a 2-1 lead.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Finch rips Tony Brothers for 'unprofessional behavior'

PHILADELPHIA – If you're waking up on Saturday morning feeling good about the Knicks’ prospects in this postseason, you can thank Mikal Bridges. 

Bridges' defense on Tyrese Maxey has one of the biggest factors in this Knicks-Sixers series. 

Maxey is averaging 18.6 points over three games against the Knicks -- that’s 10 points fewer than his regular-season average, he’s 2-for-12 from beyond the arc, and has 12 turnovers.

That’s nearly double his regular-season average. 

Bridges isn’t the only Knick defending Maxey, but he’s drawn the assignment most often, and he’s aced it. 

“He’s doing an amazing job. That’s a tough task, a tall order. The way he is able to maneuver and navigate screens, do all those things, and on top of that, give us good shots, good minutes and a good quality of executing on the offensive end is great,” Josh Hart said after New York’s Game 3 win. 

Bridges is chasing Maxey all over the floor; defending him on and off the ball, stifling his backdoor cuts. 

While doing all of that, the much-maligned Bridges has also found a way to impact the other end of the floor. 

He had 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting in Game 3. That’s four straight games with at least 17 points. He’s hit 69 percent of his shots in that span. 

Quite a bounce back from Game 3 of the Hawks series, when Bridges went 0-for-4 with four turnovers. 

“Kal is one of those guys, I never worry about him because he’s going to bring it every game. He’s going to take each matchup personal,” Hart said. “When he gets into that mindset and that mode he’s a heck of a player.” 

ROBINSON ROLLING

You may not see it in the box score, but Mitchell Robinson impacted Game 3 in a big way on both ends of the floor. 

Keeping possessions alive on the offensive glass. Forcing the Sixers to chase him into the paint as a roller in pick-and-rolls. Defending Joel Embiid. A mind-bending dunk on Joel Embiid. 

The Knicks outscored the Sixers by 16 in Robinson’s 19 minutes. 

Maybe most importantly, he made four of his eight free-throw attempts. He went 2-for-4 when Philadelphia intentionally fouled him late in the third quarter. 

“It feels real good,” Robinson said after the game. 

Robinson was in the gym at 9:30 on Friday morning, working on his free throws with Knicks shooting coach Peter Patton. 

The work obviously paid off. One element helping Robinson from the line? Spinning the ball before his attempt.

“Once I do it, instead of rushing it it kind of gives me a quick little breath and then go into it instead of just flinging it up there,” Robinson said. 

“It helps a lot,” he said of the spin. “Keeps the ball not moving in my hand once I catch grip and just go into it.”

It was always going to be an uphill battle for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Game 3 between the Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs got off to a weird start at Target Center. Minnesota had an incredibly difficult time putting the ball in the basket, missing its first 12 shots and committing four turnovers, going down 11-1 to start the game.

The Wolves didn’t get their first field goal until nearly seven minutes into the game when Rudy Gobert put back a miss by Anthony Edwards. Before that basket, the Wolves were down by 15 points and seemed to be trending toward a second straight blowout loss.

Just like it has so often this season, though, the Wolves immediately turned it around. They closed the quarter, making seven of their last eight shots while on a 19-5 run.

The last make came at the buzzer from Edwards to put his team down by just a single point.

🚨🚨 AE BEATS THE BUZZER 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/MowWvrJa0Z

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 9, 2026

The Timberwolves opened the second quarter with buckets from Edwards and Naz Reid, suddenly up by three points. Edwards scored a total of 13 points in the first quarter and 19 in the first half. More importantly, for the first time in this series, he looked like his superstar self.

In the previous round against the Denver Nuggets, that would be the point in the game when their opponent would fold. The Spurs, instead, stopped the slide right there and took the lead back late in the second quarter.

The Wolves weren’t satisfied with just one buzzer-beater in the first half, though, as Jaden McDaniels knocked down a left-wing 3-pointer to send the game into halftime with a tied score.

Jaden McDaniels buzzer-beating stepback 3 pic.twitter.com/2Yu42GsCSY

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 9, 2026

In the second half, the two teams leaned into their advantages. The Spurs pushed the ball multiple times off of made baskets by the Wolves and blitzed Edwards with two defenders to get the ball out of his hands.

The Wolves used their strength advantage to outscore the Spurs 30-12 on second chance points while draining eight 3-pointers in the second half to keep the game close.

The game remained incredibly close until the final moments of the game. Following a Finch timeout with five minutes left, and a dustup with Crew Chief Tony Brothers, the Wolves found themselves down two with the ball. The game swung on the next couple of possessions.

Coming out of the timeout, Edwards missed a contested stepback 3-pointer while Dylan Harper beat Julius Randle backdoor to put the Spurs up by four. The next possession, Ayo Dosunmu missed a floater, and after a timeout of their own, Wembanyama drained a turnaround fadeaway over Gobert to put his team up by six.

The Timberwolves responded with a 3-pointer from Reid, only for Wembanyama to hit the dagger on the other end as he put in his third make from deep of the game to put the Spurs back up by six.

The Wolves fought back but were never able to get the game close again, falling 115-108 in Game 3 and dropping the series 2-1.

Wembanyama was incredible in this game as he put up 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks (the first of which should have been called a goaltend) while holding the Wolves to just 38 points in the paint. 16 of Wembanyama’s points came in the fourth quarter.

Edwards has his best game of this postseason with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists while playing 40 minutes in the game.

Randle was the sore spot in this game for Minnesota, as he had 12 points on 3-12 shooting and did not have a single assist in the game. McDaniels also had a poor shooting night as he went 5-22 from the field en route to 17 points.

This series was always going to be a tough, incredibly tough one for the Timberwolves. They are missing one of their starters, Donte DiVincenzo, his replacement, Ayo Dosunmu, is not 100 percent, and they are going up against a 62-win team with a seven and a half foot alien.

The Wolves have played well in this series. The 38-point loss in Game 2 is an obvious disaster, but in Games 1 and 3, they have shown the ability to beat this Spurs team.

What will be required from them now, if they want to win this series, is that they will need to play better than just good. They will need to play great and will need to do it for an entire 48 minutes three more times in the next four games.

They can’t fall behind double-digits early because the offense doesn’t know what to do, they can’t let the Spurs beat them down the floor multiple times after made shots, and they need to execute better down the stretch when the opponent is hard-doubling Edwards.

In this era of Timberwolves basketball, they have always responded after games like these last two. Whenever it seems like a series or a season is slipping away, they come back with their best basketball.

Game 4, like it usually is, will be a big swing point in this series. A loss might signal the end of the season, while a win puts the Wolves in a good spot to advance to their third consecutive Western Conference Finals.

The blueprint is there for the Wolves to get back into this series; now they just have to execute.

---

Up Next

This Timberwolves-Spurs series resumes on Sunday with Game 4 on Mother’s Day as the Wolves look to even up the series at 2-2. The game will begin at 6:30 PM CT, and fans can watch the game on both NBC and Peacock.

Highlights

Game 3 between the Knicks and 76ers was physical, as you would expect from a series between these two rivals, especially with their recent playoff history.

While the first two games had their share of high-intensity moments, the opening few quarters of Friday's matchup felt like the pressure was turned up to 11. Both teams were jawing at the officials for every foul and no-call, and that includes Sixers star Joel Embiid.

Embiid, of course, is often seen as the villain whenever the Knicks and Sixers meet, and Friday was no exception. After he missed Game 2, the big man returned to the Sixers to try and stave off a 0-3 hole in the series. And while Embiid provided what he could in his 35 minutes (18 points, six rebounds, five assists), it just wasn't enough as the Knicks won 108-94.

After the game, Embiid was asked a gamut of questions regarding the loss. Then he was asked about the officiating and whether he felt the refs were letting some fouls go. 

"I’m not sure. Maybe it was let go on our end," Embiid said. "They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We're not a team that shoots a lot of threes. We attack, put the ball on the ground. So, yeah, I don't know.

"I guess it's good when New York wins, so we've just got to have that mentality of just not fouling, I guess, and being smart enough to not put ourselves in a position where they're going to take advantage of it."

Joel Embiid was asked about the way tonight's game was officiated and whether or not the officials let more things go tonight:

"They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We're not a team that shoots a lot of threes. We attack, put the ball on the ground. I don't know.

I guess it's… pic.twitter.com/WKYs8zlUPX

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 9, 2026

While the Knicks did wind up shooting 32 free throws to Philly's 16, New York did not shoot a free throw until the second quarter. Mitchell Robinson shot four thanks to the "hack-a-Mitch" strategy the Sixers used. 

But Embiid wasn't the only one asked about the officiating. Karl-Anthony Towns, who committed five personal fouls, was asked and intimated his frustrations. One moment in particular saw Embiid called for a foul under the basket when both big men collapsed to the ground trying to box each other out. Philadelphia would challenge and win, reversing the call and giving Towns his third foul in the second quarter and forcing him to the bench.

Towns was asked whether he was surprised by the reversal, and he answered, simply, "I'm not surprised at anything anymore."

In Game 1, the Sixers had the free-throw advantage, 34-17. The next game saw was more even when Embiid wasn't playing, as the Sixers had a 28-25 advantage from the charity stripe. 

How will the officiating be in Game 4? The Knicks will look to close out the series on Sunday in Philadelphia while the Sixers hope to force Game 5. 

After Minnesota closed within 102-100, Victor Wembanyama, as part of a 16 point fourth quarter masterpiece, captained a 13-8 finish, and San Antonio righted the wrongs of their earlier free throw shooting woes to put away the Wolves 115-108. With Anthony Edwards inserted into the starting lineup for game 3, it was a tale of two first quarters as the Spurs surged to an 18-3 advantage and promptly ceded nearly all of it back to the Wolves in the closing four minutes. Despite the teams being knotted at 51 at the half, San Antonio was able to grab a hold of the lead through most of the second half before Wembanyama’s crunchtime takeover.

San Antonio, despite its early success, struggled for some time to find sufficient support of Wembanyama (39 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks). Running mates Stephon Castle (13 points, 12 assists, and 4 rebounds) and De’Aaron Fox (17 points and 5 assists) started slowly, but both of them worked through the kinks when it mattered most. Devin Vassell (13 points and 6 rebounds) made just the right plays on both ends. Rookie Carter Bryant (6 points and 2 rebounds) made the most of his first half minutes to help the Spurs stay ever so slightly ahead of the Wolves. Keldon Johnson (11 points) worked through an ineffectual playoffs thus far and had a much-needed burst late in the third quarter. Dylan Harper (8 points and 4 rebounds) figured meaningfully in the closing minutes.

Minnesota’s Edwards (32 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists) led the way as expected with Jaden McDaniels (17 points and 7 rebounds) reprising his standout role from the Denver series. Former Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) had an excellent effort off the bench, while Ayo Dosummu (11 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) also helped the Wolves nearly pull off the upset.

San Antonio picked up where it left off from Wednesday night showcasing its defensive clamps – Edwards’ free throw was the only Minnesota scoring as they missed their first 11 shots. Wembanyama again set up shop in the paint and scored four early ones and netted 9 of the team’s first 11 points. The Wolves stayed glued to one point until the 5:09 mark when a Gobert tip-in roused the crowd from slumber. The Spurs reached zenith at 18-3. Despite the early San Antonio advantage, both teams shot a combined 9-for-36 (25%) over the first nine minutes, which was a foreboding lurch into Minnesota’s closing run. Gobert generated surprising offense, which emboldened Edwards to seek out his offense and the Wolves closed within 22-23 after one.

Three quick Minnesota field goals threatened to cause the Target Center to ’go crazy,‘ but the Spurs’ veterans – Wembanyama and Fox – stabilized them over several tense possessions. Bryant saw first half action and hit a pair of timely threes. Despite wresting the lead back, San Antonio left plentiful points on the board with its free throw misses. The teams fought and clawed to stay within 1-2 possesions of each other until fireworks from Minnesota and San Antonio resulted in a 51 tie at the half.

The teams put up a flurry of threes during a whirlwind third period. San Antonio remained ahead by a handful after the artillery exchange. The really interesting thing was that different players accounted for each three on both sides. The Spurs pushed their lead to as high as seven until Edwards and Dosummu connected on several quick field goals. Wembanyama, while having his left arm behind held by Gobert, swatted away Edwards’ floater with his right hand, and then the Wolves star held his right side as the center tried to run upcourt to join his tammates. After the pace slowed to a veritable crawl, San Antonio still found itself up seven going to the final 12 minutes.

Observations

• This was the second game this series where Randle made hostile contact to Castle, and the Spurs guard was whistled for the foul. Tonight’s call, however, was overturned after review.
• If Gobert continues to stay long stretches on the bench, that may effectively consume any meaningful Kornet minutes.
• My friend said, “remember when Ginobili would get fouled… his hair would fly everywhere? That’s Castle” And all I could reply with was “until 2007.”
• Does the Amazon arrow change directions depending on who’s leading?
• It makes sense why the Spurs tried to sell tickets to people within 150 miles of San Antonio in Round 1. The Philadelphia / New York game very much sounded like a pro-Knicks crowd.
• My three sisters and I ended our respective eulogies for my dad with ‘Go Spurs Go.’
• Sequence of the Game #1: Several minutes in, Wembanyama swatted away Randle’s attempt, sped past other Wolves down the floor, and and converted an and-1 over McDaniels. #wemblock
• Sequence of the Game #2: After a Reid three, Fox slithered down to the other end and got a layup over three Timberwolves.

Game Rundown

Wembanyama dunked home successive lob passes from Vassell and Castle for San Antonio’s first four points. Fox deflected a pass on the first Wolves possession. (Wembanyama’s first block looked like a goaltend but we’ll keep that between you and me.) Wembanyama’s turnaround banker made it 11-1. The only negative for the Spurs was getting into the foul bonus in less than five minutes. Johnson’s catch-and-shoot triple made it 14-1. Reid’s three caused Mitch Johnson to burn his late period timeout. Gobert’s second and third buckets kickstarted a 9-0 run late in the stanza. Vassell’s floater salvaged a series of fraught moments. Edwards went on a personal twelve point explosion to draw Minnesota within one.

Another Wembanyama lob provided momentary relief from the Wolves’ onslaught – as Edwards, Reid, and McDaniels connected early on in the second period. Bryant hit a corner three to put San Antonio ahead for mere seconds. Bryant’s next one – a shotclock beating three – put the Spurs back up four. Minnesota again drew San Antonio into the foul bonus halfway through. Right as I was muttering to myself that he was settling for too many threes, Castle’s pull-up jumper in the paint put the Spurs up six. An offensive foul on Reid – who elbowed Kornet in the face – was overturned due to the Spurs’ center holding with his left hand. San Antonio challenged an offensive foul whistled on Castle and it was unfortunately upheld. Reid’s corner three put Minnesota back up. but Castle drew Reid’s third foul shortly after. After Castle swiped it clean from Randle, Fox hit his second straight field goal, but that was matched by a McDaniels three tying the game at 51.

Dosummu replaced Mike Conley in the starting lineup, and San Antonio made some decent stops to start the second half. Threes from Castle and Wembanyama put the Spurs up six. After the Wolves bigs used Wembanyama as a punching bag, the referees finally whistled Randle for an offensive foul on an elbow extension. Vassell threw down a thunderous lefty jam seconds later. Edwards hit two baseline floaters and Dosummi followed with a corner three. Castle and Kornet ran pick and roll action to get the center a runner. Harper took a shot to the head on a loose ball situation and stayed down on the court for minutes, while Castle and McDaniels were assessed technicals. San Antonio got into the foul bonus but continued to put up ‘1-for-2s.’ Johnson paired two freebies with a wing three and the Spurs were relieved to head to the fourth up 86-79.

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For the Wolves fan’s perspective, please visit Canis Hoopus.

San Antonio stays in the Twin Cities for Game 4 with Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night at 6:30 PM CDT on NBC.

PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Brunson had Knicks coach Mike Brown referencing “Peanuts” to describe his impact. 

The Knicks trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter of their 108-94 Game 3 win over the 76ers on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Brunson had started the game 0-for-4 and finished that first quarter 2-for-8. It looked like, without OG Anunoby, this was a night where the 76ers could make it a series. 

But Brown never worried. Brunson is the security blanket that makes him feel at peace. 

“What’s the dude’s name on Snoopy? Linus? He’s got a blanket? I’m Linus and Jalen is my blanket,” Brown said. “He helps me relax a lot of different times throughout the course of the game. That’s what great players do. They keep you poised, they make the game easier for everybody else, and they help you get through the [tough] stretch.” 

Brunson responded with 10 points in the second quarter as the Knicks turned their deficit into a double-digit lead. He had nine points in both the third and fourth quarters and finished with a game-high 33 points on 11-for-22 shooting from the field. That means that after the first quarter, he went 9-for-14 from the field. 

He also added nine assists for good measure. 

Without Anunoby’s scoring impact, and with Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench for large stretches due to foul trouble, Brunson had to carry the offense for long spells. 

The 76ers have not figured out an answer to slowing down Brunson this series. VJ Edgecombe was his primary defender on Friday, and Brunson went 5-for-8 against him, per the league’s official tracking stats. Kelly Oubre guarded him second-most, and Brunson torched him — he went 4-for-5 against him. 

At one point Kelly gestured with his hands to poke fun at Brunson’s big head — something he mentioned earlier in the series. Poking the bear certainly didn’t work. 

“His usage is very high,” Oubre said. “It’s tough on VJ, it’s tough on me to just pick him up [full court] every single possession. … JB’s a great player and he’s gonna figure out how to be effective, because his team needs him to be.” 

The 76ers tried doubling him. They tried picking him up full court. None of it worked. 

When Brunson is in rhythm, there is little that ever slows him down. 

PHILADELPHIA — For the second straight game, foul trouble limited Karl-Anthony Towns’ production. 

It didn’t hurt the Knicks in their 108-94 Eastern Conference semifinal victory Friday night, but it remains a worrisome trend. 

Towns only logged 26 minutes because of foul trouble after playing just 27 minutes in Game 2. 

Asked if he was frustrated by the officiating, Towns responded, “What do you think?” 

There was one call that could’ve gone either way. With 8:20 remaining in the first half, Joel Embiid was called for a loose ball foul against Towns. The 76ers challenged the call, and it was reversed. Towns was assessed his third and sat the rest of the half. 

“I’m not surprised at anything anymore,” he said. 

Towns ended the evening with eight points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. 

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Josh Hart is going to play through the pain.

He suffered a sprained left thumb in Game 2, but finished the contest and started Game 3 on Friday night. 

“It’s something I’ll revisit in the offseason,” he said before notching 12 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes. “There’s people that played through this and people who played through it and got a championship. Something that’s doable.”

An X-ray revealed it wasn’t broken, and Hart doesn’t see the point of an MRI exam. Hart had the thumb taped up for the game. 

He is having a strong postseason, averaging 9.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals. Hart went 0-for-4 from 3-point range Friday, but when asked about the thumb, said it was a non-issue. 

“Thumb’s cool,” he said.  

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Embiid returned for Game 3 after being held out of Wednesday’s Game 2 with a sprained ankle and hip soreness. Embiid missed the first three games of the playoffs after undergoing emergency appendectomy late in the regular season.

Embiid scored 18 points on 7-for-17 shooting, along with six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. ks. 

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Miles McBride started in place of the injured OG Anunoby and scored three points in 21 minutes. 

This Mother’s Day is probably the most consequential Mother’s Day in Utah Jazz history (I haven’t checked, I’m guessing, okay). The thing the NBA doesn’t realize is that it’s going to be consequential for the entire league, as well.

Utah, even if they somehow lost their pick this year, would still be a playoff contender. While the league was punishing the Jazz for doing things everyone else was doing, the Jazz were doing something only Jazz fans saw: playing winning basketball.

Utah started the season with a blowout win over the Los Angeles Clippers and went on to post some impressive wins throughout the season. Here are some playoff teams Utah won against: Clippers, Suns, Celtics, Rockets, Pistons, Spurs, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Heat, and Warriors. Each one of these drove me crazy throughout the season, by the way. And the reason they had to start tanking earlier than the apparent unspoken rules allow was that the Jazz had a breakout season from Keyonte George and improved play across the roster. Utah had Cody Williams looking like a rotation player, they found a real player in Blake Hinson, they revived Jusuf Nurkic, and even had games where Kevin Love shot the lights out and turned needed losses into wins. Nothing this season was predictable, but the one thing that was consistent was the level of effort demanded by Will Hardy, along with an offense that consistently set players up to succeed.

The biggest question is the defense, but adding Jaren Jackson Jr., who will play alongside Walker Kessler (potentially), and that should, at the very least, create an identity of rim protection and size if they’re combined with Lauri Markkanen as well. There’s a very reasonable expectation that Utah’s defense should at least be top-15 with the personnel on the floor. Can Will Hardy lead them to that? Utah’s size will go a long way to making that happen.

But there’s some real upside with this roster that makes next year fascinating. What if Keyonte George takes another leap? What if Walker Kessler signs a contract he and the Jazz are happy with and plays at an all-defense level? What if the defense is better than expected and is in the top-10?

Those are the questions we’re asking before we even get to the lottery, which brings up the biggest question of all.

What if the Jazz win the lottery?

You add a star to this core, and you have a team set for far more than just the playoffs. The Jazz go from playoff team to borderline contender, maybe more. They may not be quite ready to win the finals, but that’s not out of the question. And that’s the thing that makes this lottery so important. The variable is crazy here, and the NBA is not ready for just how good the Jazz will be.

The question for you is, how good do you think the Jazz will be if they win the lottery?

PHILADELPHIA — OG Anunoby’s absence left massive shoes to fill.

The Knicks were fully up for the challenge.

They got help from the starting lineup, as Mikal Bridges finished with 23 points — his second-highest output of the postseason. They got help from the bench, as Landry Shamet — who had been out of the rotation previously — stepped up with 15 points and helped close the game.

There were bigger responsibilities up-and-down the roster. And the Knicks fulfilled them en route to their 108-94 Game 3 win over the 76ers on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, which gave them a 3-0 series lead.

“It was definitely a team effort,” Jalen Brunson said. “Obviously, we want everyone back healthy. But it was important for everyone to step up and have the right mindset. To do whatever you gotta do to win.”

Friday was too soon for Anunoby, who was out with the right hamstring strain he suffered in Game 2. Subsequent imaging revealed that it is a “very minor” strain, The Post’s Stefan Bondy previously reported, and he is considered day to day with confidence he should not miss much time.

The Knicks would not elaborate Friday whether Anunoby is able to run or what he is actually able to do on the court.

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

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Miles McBride started in place of Anunoby, but he struggled with his shot. It was Shamet who was more effective helping to fill the void, and he ended up playing more than McBride — 26 minutes compared to 21. Shamet went 5-for-6 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range.

“Landry hadn’t played a drop all playoffs,” coach Mike Brown said. “I think the first game, he was in the rotation and then the second game a little bit, then he was out. That’s six, seven games that he hadn’t seen significant minutes on the court. Landry was huge for us tonight. He was huge on both ends of the floor.

“We needed a spark from somebody when we were down and they hit us in the mouth and Landry gave it to us.”

Anunoby has arguably been the Knicks’ most consistent player this postseason, averaging 20.3 points on stellar 61.9 percent shooting from the field and 53.8 percent shooting from 3-point range. His defense — on Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu in the first round against the Hawks and primarily Paul George in this second-round series against the 76ers — has been superb.

Without Anunoby, Bridges at times had to slide down and guard George and was extremely effective. After scoring 15 points in the first quarter, George went scoreless the rest of the way and missed all nine shots he took.

“Everyone picked it up,” Josh Hart said. “It’s one of those things where it’s next man up. Obviously we say that but that just means it’s more opportunity for guys. Mikal did an amazing job. Deuce [McBride] gave us what he had. Landry, the ultimate professional, giving us big minutes offensively and defensively. We responded well to that adversity.”

Despite the 76ers’ best efforts, they couldn’t keep Knicks fans out of Philadelphia.

Scores of Knicks supporters made the trek to Pennsylvania to see their team roll to a 108-94 Game 3 win over the Sixers to take a 3-0 second-round series lead.

Not only were the blue-and-orange supporters cheering on the Knicks, but there were audible boos inside Xfinity Mobile Arena when 76ers star Joel Embiid went to the foul line.

Moreover, there were cheers when he missed a shot from the charity stripe.

Knicks fans celebrate Game 3 win over 76ers in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/VoAsgSqJ3X

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 9, 2026

Fans in the lower bowl were seen waving towels and chanting “Let’s go Knicks” as the victory became inevitable in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

The group of fans, as they exited arena were yelling a few things in exultation, including a “f–k Embiid” chant and “Knicks in four.”

Much like celebrity row at Madison Square Garden, the stars and A-listers came down to Philadelphia.

That included Knicks superfans Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Spike Lee and Fat Joe, who were all shown on the Amazon Prime broadcast with smiles as New York rolled in the second half.

The 76ers, before Game 3, donated 500 tickets for each of the remaining home playoff games this round in hopes of keeping their home, well, a home.

Kelly Oubre Jr., who led Philly with 22 points, was asked how his team handled the throngs of supporters for the visiting squad.

He said that the arena was going to be loud no matter what and that’s it up to his group to keep the focus on what matters.

“I could say something that could get clickbaited, but I’m not. At the end of the day, we’re the show on the court. We’re not necessarily focused on the crowd, the things like that,” Oubre said. “Obviously, we need it. We love it and we love our fans. But at the end of the day, we have to lock in on our task. We have to figure out our game plan, just have a tight huddle.

“No matter what, it’s loud. It’s kind of the same no matter who the crowd is cheering for. It’s loud. We have to be focused on the task at hand and just kind of have a short-term memory when it comes to things like that.”

What matters for Philadelphia now is the 3-0 hole, as one more loss would end the season.

Whether one 76ers fan’s ploy to increase Amtrak ticket prices for Knicks fans for Sunday remains to be seen.