Category: Basketball

How do you replace 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game in the middle of a playoff series?

The Knicks may need to find an answer to that question.

Late in their Game 2 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, OG Anunoby suffered a leg injury. He left the court with 2:31 to play and the Knicks up by six.

He did not return. That fact alone tells you that Anunoby was in discomfort. The Knicks would obviously want Anunoby on the floor late in a close game -- even if he was limited by injury.

They closed the game without Anunoby, beating the Sixers to take a 2-0 lead. But after the game, Anunoby was not available to reporters. Knicks head coach Mike Brown had no update when he spoke to reporters after the game. There is no point in speculating about Anunoby’s injury.

But if he is indeed sidelined for Game 3 and beyond, Miles McBride is comfortable taking on a larger role.

“Extremely comfortable. I feel like the coaching staff trusts me, I know my teammates trust me and I trust myself overall. So if that happens, I know I’ll be ready,” McBride said after Game 2.

McBride was on the floor to close the game. If Anunoby has to miss time, it’s fair to assume McBride’s minutes/responsibilities would increase. Maybe Brown inserts Landry Shamet into the rotation?

No matter who takes his place, the Knicks will certainly miss Anunoby (if he has to miss time).

Anunoby wasn’t just putting up great numbers in the playoffs (as referenced above), he was doing so efficiently. He made 60 of his 97 field goal attempts in the playoffs (61.2 percent), including 52.8 percent of his threes (39 attempts).

The Knicks were outscoring opponents by an average of 14.75 points per game with Anunoby on the floor.  

“He’s one of the best two-way players in the league so it’s tough to replace that but you don’t replace him with one guy,” McBride said. “Everyone is going to have to step up.”

BUILDING MORE BRIDGES

Make that three in a row for Mikal Bridges. For the third straight game, Bridges had his fingerprints all over a Knicks win.

In Game 2, he had 18 points, five rebounds and two assists. He hit a step-back jumper from 20 feet to give the Knicks a six-point lead with three minutes to play.

Bridges also helped limit Tyrese Maxey to seven points on nine shots and three turnovers in the second half. Maxey went off in the first half with 19 points and four assists. He said after the game that he suffered a finger injury in the second quarter.

Even if that impacted him in the second half, Bridges and the rest of the Knicks deserve credit for their defense in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia shot 4-for-19 in the final period; Maxey and Paul George combined to shoot 2-for-12 in the fourth.

“You’re not stopping Tyrese Maxey. Tyrese, he had a great game. He had 26 points. But Mikal tried to make him work, especially in the second half, for every point he got,” Brown said after the game. “… You’re gonna have to keep working and give multiple efforts and the team defense behind him is gonna have to be great in order to even think you’re gonna slow him down, because he’s a great player.

“But Mikal did what he could, as well as everybody else behind him. And then on top of that, Mikal hit some big shots for us down the stretch, especially when we looked a little discombobulated offensively. He got to his spot and knocked down some big shots. So great game on both ends of the floor for Mikal.”

Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 90 points in Game 2. Towns (20 points, 10 rebounds) had his 13th playoff game of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. That ranks fourth in Knicks franchise history. Towns also had seven assists. He continues to be a hub for the Knicks on the perimeter.

Victor Wembanyama shone as the San Antonio Spurs drew level in the NBA's Conference semi-finals while the New York Knicks edged into a 2-0 lead.

The Spurs are seeded second in the Western Conference and bounced back from a home loss in game one to thump the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-95 on Wednesday and level the best-of-seven series.

"I'm expecting this kind of response from myself, from my team-mates, so I'm not surprised by any means," said Wembanyama.

The France international added: "There is some ego. They assaulted us in game one, we wanted to assault [them] in game two."

This season's defensive player of the year claimed 19 points and 15 rebounds as the Spurs romped into a 59-35 lead by half-time - Minnesota's lowest-scoring half all season.

It was San Antonio's highest NBA play-off score since 1983 and they have not lost back-to-back games since 11 and 13 January, a stretch of 49 games.

Jalen Brunson led a late charge as the Knicks, third seed in the Eastern Conference, clinched a 108-102 home win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Philadelphia's Joel Embiid was ruled out hours before tip-off because of right hip soreness and a right ankle sprain.

The game featured 25 lead changes - the most for a play-off game in 11 years.

Brunson scored eight of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks pulled clear while Karl-Anthony Towns added 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Tyrese Maxey scored a team-high 26 points for the 76ers, who hope Embiid can recover in time for game three in Philadelphia on Friday.

• Thunder and Pistons make winning start in semi-finals

New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference)

Philadelphia; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 213.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 2-0

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks visit the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 108-102 on Wednesday, led by 26 points from Jalen Brunson. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 26.

The 76ers are 27-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. Philadelphia ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference with 11.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Andre Drummond averaging 3.2.

The Knicks are 14-3 against the rest of their division. New York is seventh in the NBA with 45.6 rebounds per game. Karl-Anthony Towns leads the Knicks with 11.9.

The 76ers are shooting 46.2% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks average 116.5 points per game, 0.4 more than the 116.1 the 76ers give up to opponents.

TOP PERFORMERS: Maxey is averaging 28.3 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Brunson is averaging 26 points and 6.8 assists for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 5-5, averaging 105.2 points, 40.0 rebounds, 21.5 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.7 points per game.

Knicks: 7-3, averaging 116.0 points, 42.7 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.7 points.

INJURIES: 76ers: Joel Embiid: out (ankle).

Knicks: Mitchell Robinson: out (illness).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference)

Minneapolis; Friday, 9:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Spurs -3.5; over/under is 216.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Series tied 1-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs are in a 1-1 series tie in the Western Conference second round. The Spurs defeated the Timberwolves 133-95 in the last meeting on Thursday. Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 21 points, and Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 12.

The Timberwolves are 31-21 in Western Conference games. Minnesota is eighth in the Western Conference with 50.3 points per game in the paint led by Jaden McDaniels averaging 10.5.

The Spurs are 36-16 in Western Conference play. San Antonio is fifth in the Western Conference scoring 52.1 points per game in the paint led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 11.1.

The Timberwolves make 48.1% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.0 percentage points higher than the Spurs have allowed to their opponents (45.1%). The Spurs score 5.2 more points per game (119.8) than the Timberwolves give up (114.6).

TOP PERFORMERS: Anthony Edwards is averaging 28.8 points and 3.7 assists for the Timberwolves. McDaniels is averaging 15.1 points over the last 10 games.

De'Aaron Fox is scoring 18.6 points per game and averaging 3.8 rebounds for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 113.9 points, 44.4 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 6.5 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.8 points per game.

Spurs: 7-3, averaging 116.6 points, 46.2 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 7.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.8 points.

INJURIES: Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).

Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Spurs lost a close Game 1 on a missed Julian Champagnie buzzer-beater, and it seems it was the wakeup call they needed. San Antonio demolished the Timberwolves in Game 2, outexecuting them and outhustling them en route to a 133-95 win. At halftime, the visitors had only scored 35 points, and the biggest lead reached 47 points before being reduced during extended garbage time.

It was clear from the start that the Timberwolves were content with taking just one game in San Antonio. They were sloppy in the first few possessions and couldn’t really deal with a physical and intense defense that was not conceding many easy looks. With Minnesota turning it over or missing, the Spurs had a much easier time attacking early, but even in the half-court, they were determined to play faster and try to get to the rim. The commitment to being the aggressor led to a couple of small mistakes on switches on defense and some overpenetrating on offense, but it served to set the tone. As the benches checked in, the visitors couldn’t get the scoring boost from Anthony Edwards, and the Silver and Black received solid minutes from Luke Kornet. After an encouraging opening frame, the lead was seven.

The Timberwolves went small to start the second, and the Spurs were ready for it. Wembanyama made them pay on the block, and everyone who had a lane tried to touch the paint. On the defensive end, Wembanyama toggled between different assignments, always trying to be in help position. Minnesota needed to find answers on offense, but Mitch Johnson threw Carter Bryant on Edwards and started trapping the superstar scorer, leading to some serious disarray for the visitors, who couldn’t get quality looks and were too slow to run back, allowing transition buckets off turnovers, misses, and even the rare made baskets. As the minutes passed, the game turned into a poor execution but high-paced battle that benefited the Spurs, which ruthlessly grew their lead to 24 heading into the break.

A comeback seemed unlikely, considering how locked in the Spurs were, but there were a few minutes that probably made some fans of the Silver and Black nervous. After a strong start featuring an aggressive Wembanyama, San Antonio began to play more slowly on offense and with less intensity on defense. Minnesota went on a mini-run, and the fouls for both sides started to pile up, killing the flow of the game. Fortunately, a couple of timely jumpers from De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell helped keep the lead large through that sloppy, sloggy stretch, and a barrage of threes by Julian Champagnie ended any chance of a surprise. The only source of suspense left was whether the Spurs would record their most lopsided playoff win in franchise history, a feat they fell short of by three points.

Game notes

• There’s a strong case to be made for this to be the best game of the Spurs’ season, considering the circumstances and the opponent. It was the perfect bounce-back performance, with Wembanyama and Fox, who struggled to make their mark on offense, leading the way early, and the defense absolutely smothering Minnesota. Whether it’s by one or by 38, wins count the same in the playoffs, but San Antonio made a statement on Wednesday.
• Mitch Johnson deserves credit for making two key adjustments. On defense, the team was ready to keep Edwards, who started cold but was warming up, from making an impact as a scorer by trapping him and forcing him to give up the ball. It took the Wolves a while to adjust to it, and when they did, the lead was already massive. On offense, the Spurs consistently got into the first action much quicker than they did in Game 1, giving themselves more time to execute in the half-court. It took them a game, but San Antonio was prepared in Game 2.
• Wembanyama, Fox, and Castle did most of the damage on offense in the first half, while the third quarter belonged to Julian Champagnie, who made all four of his three-point attempts to really ice the game. The way that the Wolves defend makes it hard to get the shooters involved at times, so it was great to see Champagnie and, later on, Harrison Barnes launching and connecting with confidence. Hopefully, the rhythm they appeared to find will carry over.
• The Spurs won the Luke Kornet minutes, which was massive. Not only did it allow Mitch Johnson to give Wembanyama more rest, but it also gave the guards a different type of screener to work with. There were even some French Vanilla minutes when the win was secured. Huge contribution from Kornet in limited minutes.
• Ayo Dosunmu suffered an injury and was questionable to play in the second half. He wasn’t ruled out and could get better by Game 3, but bf he doesn’t, it could have an impact, as not having him forces Chris Finch to give more minutes to Bones Hyland and Jaylen Clark, a bad defender and questionable shooter, respectively.

Play of the game

After a broken play, Devin Vassell actually had the awareness to jump and get into his shooting motion as he caught the ball on his way up to hit a three. Amazing.

Just like they drew it up 😏

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/SkckLtEeUP

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) May 7, 2026

Game 3: at Minnesota on Friday

The series moves to Minnesota, and the Timberwolves will surely play with more urgency than they did in Game 2. Hopefully, the Spurs will be able to maintain the superlative level of play they showed on Wednesday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and helped New York seize control of a close game after a run of blowouts, leading the Knicks to a 108-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Playing without the injured Joel Embiid, the 76ers put up a far better fight than in the Knicks’ 137-98 romp in Game 1. The game featured 25 lead changes, 14 ties and neither team led by more than seven points.

But those kinds of situations are made for Brunson, who made the tiebreaking basket with 5:06 remaining and added another jumper for a 103-99 advantage with 3:45 to play before Mikal Bridges’ basket made it a six-point game.

OG Anunoby added 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Knicks, whose Game 1 victory made them the first team to win three straight postseason games by at least 25 points.

Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points for the 76ers, who face another big climb after falling behind 3-1 against Boston in the first round.

The series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday, where Embiid will find out if gets his wish for the arena to be filled with Sixers fans or if New Yorkers made their way in.

SPURS 133, TIMBERWOLVES 95

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and San Antonio handed Minnesota the worst postseason loss in franchise history, beating the Timberwolves to even their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece.

Stephon Castle had 21 points and De’Aaron Fox added 16 points for San Antonio, which shot 50% from the field and 41% on 3-pointers. It was the highest-scoring playoff game for the Spurs since a series-clinching 145-105 win over Denver on May 4, 1983.

Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. each scored 12 points for Minnesota.

Edwards came off the bench again as Minnesota continued to restrict his minutes in his second game back from a hyperextended left knee.

Games 3 and 4 are Friday and Sunday in Minneapolis.

Mike Brown was prescient. Then he was critical. 

After the Knicks bludgeoned the 76ers in Game 1, fouling was the one area he specifically noted they had to improve. It seemed like a footnote in what was otherwise a historic blowout. 

But in their 108-102 Game 2 win Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, it became a central storyline. It had Brown doing math at the podium while questioning the officiating. 

“We have to try to do something about it, because they’re killing us from the free-throw line in this series,” Brown said. “I know it’s only two games, but they had 34 [free throws in Game 1] and 28 tonight. So let’s add them up now. That’s 62, and we had 17 and 25, so that’s 42, right? Forty-two to 62. So, we have to do something right. I have to do a better job addressing it. Hopefully, it can get evened out a little bit more throughout the course of the series, but it’s tough to win a ballgame if you’re getting beat from the free-throw line like that versus a really good team.” 

Karl-Anthony Towns was in foul trouble all night and played just 27 minutes as a result. Without Mitchell Robinson (illness), it forced Ariel Hukporti into action.

But Hukporti committed four fouls in seven minutes. That left Brown with no other choice than to go with Landry Shamet or Jeremy Sochan in small-ball lineups. 

“I think it was KAT’s third or fourth foul where [Tyrese] Maxey came off him,” Brown said. “I’m not sure what’s a bump and what’s not a bump, but up by half-court, I gotta go back and I gotta watch that, because you can literally call somebody getting bumped every time down the floor if you want to. And so, for KAT to pick up his third or fourth foul that way — I can’t remember which one it was — that was tough. But we have to try to keep leading with our chest and show our hands and hope they don’t call it. They’re really, really good, especially Maxey. Man, he’s one of the quickest guys in the league with the basketball. And when he sees an angle, he’s going at you 100 miles per hour.

“And he’s good as you’re trying to turn — when you’re turning to step-slide with him, you’re exposing your shoulder and your arm, and as soon as he sees you turn and he sees your arm right here, he’s flying into you and it’s giving the officials an opportunity to call a foul.” 

---

The Knicks had a clean injury report heading into Game 2 before Robinson was downgraded to questionable with the illness hours before tip.

He warmed up like normal and was considered a game-time decision. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves came into Wednesday night’s Game 2 of their Western Conference Semifinals series against the San Antonio Spurs with a chance to get greedy. After taking Game 1 104-102, the Wolves had the opportunity to take a commanding 2-0 series lead before even playing a game at Target Center.

Instead, the Timberwolves never gave themselves a chance.

The Wolves came out of the gates playing an incredibly undisciplined basketball. They turned the ball over on their first three possessions of the game and never found their composure from there.

From the start, it was a complete turnaround from the first game of the series. The Timberwolves lacked ball movement, took terrible shots, and continued to turn the ball over at an unsustainable rate.

Somehow, the Wolves only trailed 24-17 after the first quarter. The game didn’t stay close for long, as after Jaden McDaniels picked up his third foul early in the second quarter, the game fell apart for Minnesota on both sides of the ball.

Jaden McDaniels picked up his third foul with 9:49 left in the second quarter.

At that time, the Spurs were up 30-22.

After that, San Antonio closed the quarter on a 29-13 run.

Ballgame.

— Kyle Theige (@KyleTheige) May 7, 2026

The Timberwolves finished the first half with 35 points, their lowest of the entire season, regular season or playoffs. They went 14-47 from the field, 2-15 from beyond the arc, and turned the ball over a total of 11 times.

On the other end, the Wolves gave up 34 points in the paint alone and trailed by 24 points going into the halftime break.

The second half wasn’t any more friendly for Minnesota as the Spurs got dunk after dunk following countless Timberwolves turnovers. The Wolves never mounted any sort of comeback, and by early in the fourth quarter, the benches were in for both teams as the Wolves fell 133-95 in Game 2.

The Wolves had five players in double-figures with no player scoring more than 12 points. Anthony Edwards had an especially poor night as he never looked fully healthy or engaged with the game. He finished with 12 points while missing eight of his 13 shots to go with four turnovers. The Wolves lost the 24 minutes Edwards was on the court by a team-worst 33 points.

Edwards was far from the only player who performed poorly, as not a single player had a quality performance as the team finished with a staggering 22 turnovers while shooting less than 40 percent from the field.

The Spurs were led by Stephon Castle’s 21 points, with Wembanyama and Fox having bounce-back games after poor performances in Game 1. Wemby put up 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Fox scored 16 points on only ten shots.

“They just kicked our butt in every aspect of the game tonight,” Chris Finch said after the blowout loss. “Offensively, defensively, it didn’t matter. They took it to us, and we didn’t really respond very well.”

Finch was later asked what he said to the team after a game like this, and he responded, “I told them we just got punked.”

Following their Game 1 victory, the Timberwolves deservedly received a ton of praise nationally. With a shorthanded roster, they dismantled Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, and, for at least one game, were doing the same to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.

While losing this game is far from a death knell, there is only so much margin for error against a team of the quality of this Spurs squad. Rather than putting their foot on the gas pedal, Minnesota played like a team that had accomplished its goal and appeared content bringing the series back home tied 1-1.

In their previous two postseason runs, Minnesota has thrived when it’s been the underdog and has often let go of the rope when they start to receive recognition for its positive play. It’s impossible to truly know if that was the case in this one. Regardless, the stark difference in the Wolves’ play over the last two games stands out.

The Spurs, unlike the Nuggets, responding with a quality performance should not come as a surprise. They won 62 games for a reason. Now, it’s on the Timberwolves to do the same after getting embarrassed tonight.

---

Up Next

The series now shifts to Minnesota, where the Timberwolves are 3-0 this postseason. Game 3 against the Spurs on Friday begins at 8:30 PM CT and will air on Amazon Prime.

Highlights

The San Antonio Spurs had their backs to the wall, so they had a Game 7 mentality from tip-off, and they cruised their way to the finish line against the ravenous Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs are now going on tour and the winner of a Game 3 in a best of seven series when it’s tied advances 73.7 percent of the time, per the NBA’s Facts and Figures. 

Both sides were implacable, defending the lane like it was a scared temple and neither had much breathing room until the levy broke for the Spurs in transition. San Antonio’s defense was more potent, holding them to their lowest output of the season (35 points) in the first half, which included a stretch where it forced Minnesota into a stream of bad shots.

Usually, even playoff games with a large difference get close, but the Spurs didn’t permit such  shenanigans because Victor Wembanyama’s help defense was omnipresent, despite 10 less blocks, and his teammates were just as unforgiving, hounding the ball before it crossed half court and controlling the boards.

Observations

• These types of butt-kickings usually come with a warning for children. This one got so of hand, that even Kelly Olynyk and Lindy Waters III got dusted off, and they’ve barely played since ‘Nam.
• The first half of the third quarter was the sloppiest spurt for the Spurs as they did a poor job of defending without fouling. Still, it didn’t hurt them as much as it could have because the Timberwolves were having the same problems putting them on the line, and Julian Champagnie swished four 3-pointers. 
• Stephon Castle, who fouled out in Game 1, may have picked up some unnecessary penalties and turnovers, but he played with more controlled aggression. All six of his shots were logged in the lane, and he was immaculate at the line on nine attempts. Additionally, as shown against Deni Avdija and Bones Hyland in this game, he plays with a fearlessness that the team feeds off.
• Guarding Julius Randle and Naz Reid, two tanks, has been problematic at times because one of them usually joins the other or Rudy Gobert while the Spurs mostly use four perimeter players around Wemby. Most players matched up with them are at a disadvantage since Randle and Reid have the edge on the boards and in reach to disrupt shots. Yet, Keldon Johnson was able to hold up well in his minutes with Randle, and the Spurs were able to neutralize their impact by sending help quicker at them. 

• Jaden McDaniels is slimmer, but he is the new age Bobby Jones, who was famously a stud athlete and top-notch defender for the Philadelphia 76ers in the ‘80s. He gave ball handlers fits and zig-zagged to his spots, but his impact was offset by the grip the Spurs took on the game, and he picked up five fouls.
• Even without eye-pooping stats, De’Aaron Fox was a key figure in the first-half avalanche because he was playing with more intensity, and the team did a nice job of screening for him on curls.  This matchup is a difficult one for him because of the length and lateral quickness Minnesota has, so he could be used more as a decoy as the series progresses.
• Carter Bryant gave the team good minutes with his hustle in transition and backpedaling. Since he’s got a bigger frame, there may come a time in this series where it’s best for the Spurs to use him over Julian Champagnie, a leaner player.

Few players can be so infuriating. Few players can be so dominant. 

Karl-Anthony Towns’ brilliance eventually overpowered his long-standing demons in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, as the 7-footer overcame his latest bout of foul trouble and picked apart the Joel Embiid-less 76ers front line, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 27 minutes in the 108-102 win at Madison Square Garden to help give the Knicks a 2-0 series lead. 

Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, Towns is shooting 59.7 percent from the field — 13-for-19 through the first two games against the Sixers — with 10.5 rebounds per game. 

And after averaging 3.1 assists over the first 11 seasons of his career, the new point center, who recorded his first two playoff triple-doubles (and came up 3 assists shy of a third) against Atlanta, has averaged 7.8 assists in the past five games — all Knicks wins. 

“I just want to [make] the right plays when the ball hits my hands, whether that’s driving, passing, taking the shot or slowing down our offense to get us organized,” Towns said. “I just want to impact winning, and I was able to do that.” 

Even with Mitchell Robinson (illness) out in Game 2, Towns remained undisciplined, getting called for a moving screen 30 feet from the hoop barely two minutes into the game. Towns then picked up his second foul with 4:29 left in the first quarter, forcing Mike Brown to turn to rarely used Ariel Hukporti for early minutes. 

“That’s tough to try to combat when Mitch is out,” Brown said. “He’s an important player for us. It’s no secret we need him on the floor. He just has to avoid unnecessary fouls.”

 Less than a minute into the second quarter, Towns picked up his third foul, sending him to the bench until the second half, having played less than nine minutes. 

“I don’t ever want to lose the physicality,” Towns said. “That’s done us well. I’ll look at the tape. I’ll get better, more disciplined. I don’t want to put my team in that position again, so I gotta do a better job. 

“For better, for worse, I may not have been able to play many minutes in the first half, but I tried to use that as an advantage to have a more rested body than everybody else on the court and try to be a spark plug for our team coming out of halftime.” 

Towns took over when the second half began, opening with a 3-pointer, before adding a 3-point play and a spin move that set up a kiss off the glass. He made each of his first six shots. 

Even when he was fouled and threw up a prayer that resulted in the ball getting stuck below the shot clock, Towns knocked it down on his first swing with a mop to cheers, following several failed attempts by Philadelphia big man Andre Drummond. 

“I wanted to get the game going,” Towns said. “I already had a hot hand.”

 Still, Towns — who came out after picking up a fourth foul late in the third quarter — happily took a back seat in the fourth quarter. He attempted just two shots, but pulled down nine rebounds in the final quarter, along with two assists. 

Just impact winning.

Perhaps Jeremy Sochan was just trying to recommend to the 76ers where to get the best “Big Apple Cheesesteak” when he approached a group of Philadelphia players, including VJ Edgecombe, after the Knicks beat the Sixers 108-102 in Game 2 on Wednesday night. 

Whatever the case may be, the Sixers did not seem to take to it kindly, and it led to a feisty verbal exchange that saw Sochan need to be yanked back by a fellow teammate. 

Edgecombe had to be moved back from the situation as well and seemed to be shouting something of his own in Sochan’s direction. 

Nothing more transpired from there.

Jeremy Sochan, who played one minute in the Knicks win, tried to talk trash to VJ Edgecombe after the buzzer. pic.twitter.com/hPafCMA46U

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) May 7, 2026

The two apparently had an interaction in the fourth quarter, when Sochan attempted to “troll” Edgecombe while he was talking to an official, according to ClutchPoints’ Kris Pursiainen. 

The moment seemed to highlight the fierceness of Game 2 between the rivals and set the stage for Game 3 at Xfinity Mobile Arena as the series shifts to the City of Brotherly Love. 

Following the game, Edgecombe told reporters that what he took away from the first two games was that “it’s going to be a dogfight.”

“I think that’s what it is. It’s going to be a dogfight,” he said. “They’re a really good team, and it’s going to come down to the wire almost every game.” 

Sochan wasn’t the only person Edgecombe had a notable interaction with. 

Spike Lee & VJ Edgecombe going back & forth after the 76ers rookie hit Knicks captain Jalen Brunson in the face while attempting a steal off the inbound. pic.twitter.com/CtywDMylbj

— alder almo (@alderalmo) May 6, 2026

The Sixers rookie appeared to get into a verbal sparring match with Knicks celebrity superfan Spike Lee. 

The well-known movie director was quite animated during the exchange, while Edgecombe seemed to remain unfazed.

The Knicks will travel to Philadelphia for the next two games of the series before things move back to the Big Apple, if necessary, for Game 5 on Tuesday. 

The series between the Lakers and Thunder remains in Oklahoma City, with Game 2 on Thursday.

The purple and gold aim to even the series at 1-1.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

When: 6:30 p.m. PT, May 7

Where: Paycom Center

Watch: Prime Video

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The first playoff game between the Lakers and Thunder went about as expected: The better team won because they simply have more firepower and are healthier.

But at the very least, the Lakers showed they can keep up with the Thunder as long as everything goes right for them.

Besides Jarred Vanderbilt’s gruesome finger injury and Austin Reaves having one of — if not — the worst game of his life, LA came in with a commendable game plan that led to reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having a season-low in points with 18 and a season-high in turnovers with seven.

Then, SGA and the Thunder adjusted. He found ways to impact the game, and Chet Holmgren and the rest of the team stepped up to help them win Game 1.

Now, JJ Redick and the Lakers are sent back to the drawing board, where they will have to come up with a new game plan and make adjustments in order to attempt to steal a game on the road once again.

This is a must-win for the Lakers if they want any sort of chance in this series.

A better performance from Austin Reaves

It’s tough to look past Reaves’ abysmal 3-16 shooting from the field that yielded only eight points. After all, he’s supposed to be the second-best player on the Lakers. Yes, he’s coming off an oblique injury and a month off basketball, but whether fair or unfair, he will be judged like he’s 100% healthy.

Nobody likes moral victories, but it’s also fair to say that if Reaves had just had an average game, Game 1 would’ve been winnable, or at the very least, closer than an 18-point blowout. He’s dealing with the Thunder’s fierce perimeter defense, and he’s going to have to figure out how to handle it. The good news is that Reaves has nowhere to go but up, and we know he’s going to be determined to bounce back. Hopefully, he does so in Game 2.

Control Holmgren and the paint more

Aside from Holmgren dominating the paint, the Thunder as a team also had more rebounds than the Lakers, 44-41. OKC capitalized with 21 second-chance points. That’s unacceptable for an already shorthanded Lakers team that has to do everything they can to win the 50-50 loose balls as well as the little difference makers in a contest.

OKC also had 48 points in the paint and shot 43.4% from the 3-point line, so they pretty much dominated LA in every aspect of the game. This obviously can’t happen again if Los Angeles wants a chance to win Game 2.

More offensive production

Over the last four games, the Lakers have averaged just under 100 points per game. They’re extremely starved on offense because they badly need more outside of LeBron James.

Rui Hachimura has been the most consistent role player thus far in the playoffs followed by Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton. But them scoring below 20 points isn’t going to help James and they need more from their other teammates as well.

Besides Reaves, the Lakers desperately need Luke Kennard’s scoring and hopefully something from Jake LaRavia as well. They’re not beating this Thunder team if they don’t perform well from beyond the arc as well as control the points inside the paint. Perhaps the biggest question in Game 2 for the Lakers is how they’re going to keep up with the Thunder’s offense.

Let’s see whether or not they can solve this Thunder team on Thursday.

Notes and Updates

• For the Lakers’ injury report, there have unfortunately been new additions. Luke Kennard (neck soreness) is noted as questionable, while Jarred Vanderbilt (right finger dislocation) is now doubtful.
• Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) is out.
• As for the Thunder, Jalen Williams (left hamstring strain) and Thomas Sorber (ACL surgery recovery) will not suit up.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green joined the "Inside the NBA" desk as part of ESPN's basketball coverage on Wednesday, May 6.

Green participated in a conversation regarding the Warriors alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson.

It could be a notable offseason for Golden State, which will soon learn more about its future and the status of coach Steve Kerr and Green, among others. The team will also be without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, due to injuries suffered during the 2025-26 season, for much of the upcoming season.

Barkley stated that Green and Stephen Curry might need to consider leaving Golden State if they wanted to continue competing for NBA championships.

In response to Barkley’s comments, Green appeared to take a verbal jab at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer.

“I think the goal is to not look like you in the Houston Rockets uniform,” Green told Barkley during the segment. “That is ultimately the goal.”

Barkley spent the first eight years of his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, who originally drafted him with the fifth overall pick in the 1984 draft. He then spent four years with the Phoenix Suns, winning an MVP award, before finishing out his career with four years with the Rockets.

Green has spent all 14 seasons of his career with the Warriors.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Draymond Green takes jab at Charles Barkley on 'Inside the NBA'

For players testing the NBA Draft waters while retaining their collegiate eligibility, the deadline to announce a return to school or stay in the Draft is May 27th. That’s three weeks from today.

Malachi Moreno is testing the NBA Draft waters, which was thought to be happening this Spring. While the feeling is that he’s going to return to Kentucky for the 2026-27 season, it’s still not a for-sure thing.

Recently, Moreno was an early second-round pick projection to the New York Knicks, going 31st overall. Moreno also worked out with the Knicks on Tuesday, including with national champion Elliot Cadeau from Michigan, according to Adam Zagoria.

Moreno is coming off a strong freshman season at Kentucky, starting 30 of the Wildcats’ 36 games. He averaged 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds, while also blocking 53 shots and dishing out 64 assists.

In addition, Moreno shot 58.2 percent from the field and 69.8 percent from the free-throw line. It was his buzzer-beater at LSU in mid-January that likely saved the Cats’ season, a season that culminated with an All-SEC Freshman Team selection.

In high school at Great Crossing, Moreno was a McDonald’s All-American and Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball as a senior.

The Knicks hosted a pre-draft workout on Tuesday that included prospects Donavan Atwell (Texas Tech), Elliot Cadeau (Michigan), Malachi Moreno (Kentucky) and Jackson Paveletzke (Ohio), per league source. https://t.co/C3gsqNiRnX

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) May 6, 2026