Category: NBA

Broderick Turner and Thuc Nhi Nguyen reported that Lakers coach JJ Redick said, "The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history." Maybe Redick is right. The Lakers were able to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and with Jalen Williams not playing, OKC still won Games 1 and 2 by 18 points each.

Hopefully the Lakers can avoid a sweep when they return to The Crypt, but it doesn't look very likely, not when committing 39 turnovers in two games.

Vaughn Hardenberg
Westwood

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It was so bush league to see the Lakers crowd around the beleagued referees at the end of an 18-point loss to the Thunder in Game 2. The number of free throws was nearly even, favoring OKC 26-21. There are no bigger whiners in the league than LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton, who have in their minds never committed a foul and are always fouled with no call on any possession. This is playoff basketball — grow up and play ball. The results in this series speak for themselves.

Bob Goldstone

Corona del Mar

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You cannot tell me that the defensive “mauling” allowed by NBA officials during the playoffs would be tolerated during the regular season. It almost looks like the NBA upper brass — Adam Silver and his cohorts/consultants — have directly or indirectly “suggested” that referees simply “let ‘em play.”

This inconsistency and change of “style“ by the officials has either confused or frustrated many offensive players as well as some fans. To me, a foul is a foul, period! Considerations like superstar or rookie, home team or visitors, the fourth quarter versus the first, closing minutes or seconds of a game, regular season versus the playoffs should not matter.

Rick Solomon
Lake Balboa

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I'm watching Lakers-Thunder Game 2 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is running into people and getting the Michael Jordan treatment. Everything is a foul against the Lakers. On the another hand, LeBron James is getting the stuffing beat out of him and no calls. Coach JJ Redick needs to bring this bias up with the media and put the spotlight on the refs. That’s what Phil Jackson and Pat Riley would do. Lakers fans can start a go-fund-me page for the fine.

Ed Villanueva
Chino Hills

It ain't over yet

So is now a good time for Times columnist Bill Plaschke to jump off the Lakers bandwagon and go back to his column from April 9th and say the Lakers should shut it down against the Thunder? Of course that proclamation was made before the Lakers won their final three games of the regular season to clinch the fourth seed in the playoffs and then proceeded to overwhelm the favored Rockets in the first round. Remember, the series Plaschke called over after just two games?

Danny Balber Jr.
Pasadena

LeBron spells GOAT

LeBron James' performance against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs should put to rest the discussion of whether LeBron or Michael Jordan is the NBA's GOAT. The number of championship rings a player obtains is dependent on teammates and coaching systems. Based on both individual play and contributions to his teams, LeBron's entire body of work is unmatched and LeBron's play at age 41 is still magnificent.

Richard Raffalow
Valley Glen

Cut Trout loose

Mike Trout is having a renaissance season so far with the Angels. He is back to playing center field and is hitting home runs like the Trout of old. He has avoided injuries which have plagued him for several years. Now is the time for the Angels to give Trout a real shot at a postseason by trading him. The Angels are once again in last place and going nowhere. Trout will turn 35 soon and he deserves to go to a contender and play meaningful baseball in September and October. Free Trout!

Dave Ring
Manhattan Beach

Reign of pain

Since 2017, the L.A. Kings have employed a dizzying array of players, coaches, general managers and front office executives. Despite all that personnel turnover, in that time they have amazingly failed to win even a single playoff series much less be a consistent regular-season threat. The one constant who is responsible for all the hockey decisions and has overseen this astounding lack of success over the previous nine years is team president Luc Robitaille.

Why does absentee ownership group AEG continue to allow him to remain in charge, annually selling hope instead of actually providing results? Could it be that the Kings' steadily increasing valuation, most recently pegged at $3.5 billion (2nd highest among all U.S. teams), is really all that motivates AEG as opposed to accountability and on-ice success?

Andre Miller
El Segundo

Will fit right in

Detroit Tigers free agent ace Tarik Skubal will miss time on the IL after elbow surgery, which means he’ll fit right into the Dodgers’ rotation next season.

Steve Ross
Carmel

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Jaylen Brown has three years and about $183 million left on a 5-year contract he signed in July of 2023. It was a controversial deal at the time, but Brown was headed to free agency the next year and the Celtics knew they needed to keep him.

Fast forward three years later and Jaylen Brown will once again be eligible to sign a contract extension on July 26th. This deal would tack on an additional two years and an estimated $142 million to his deal.

That in total would have Brown on Boston’s books for the next five years at $325 million and he would be 34-years-old when the deal runs out.

Last summer, the Phoenix Suns were presented a very similar situation with Devin Booker. Booker, like Brown, had three years left on a super-max extension he signed in 2022 and was eligible to add two more years on to his deal. The Suns did offer him that extension, which was reported at $145 million but based on future cap projections, Spotrac estimates that it will come in at $132 million. No matter what the deal is worth, Booker is going to make a lot of money.

Brown just had his best NBA season this past year and, to me, is a better player than Booker is. If Brown is going to sign a new deal, it is going to be a max.

With that said, I am in no rush to extend him.

There are reasons for the Celtics to ink Brown to an extension.

Number one, it would keep him happy. Earlier this week, Brown said on his Twitch stream that he wants to be in Boston for the next ten years. No one turns down the 35% super max and Brown is no different. If the Celtics were to offer him a max extension, I am very confident that Brown would sign it.

Number two, and the far more compelling reason, is that Jaylen Brown is a great player who the Celtics should want to keep around for a really long time. I know he didn’t have a great series against the 76ers but he was so awesome this season. He averaged career highs in points (28.7) and assists (5.1) in the regular season while being the best player on a team that won 56 games without Jayson Tatum.

On the other hand, why should Boston rush to sign him? As was mentioned, Brown has three years left on his current deal with no player option. Free agency is not lurking like it was back in 2023.

Another aspect of this is that the Celtics have Jayson Tatum. The Suns were backed into a corner with Booker because he is their best player. Phoenix had just traded Kevin Durant and bought-out Bradley Beal — they needed to keep Booker on the team and happy so they paid him.

The Tatum and Brown duo has brought Celtics fans a lot of joy over the years, including a championship, and the Celtics should want to keep them paired together. Extending Brown this summer and Tatum next summer, when he becomes extension eligible, would accomplish that.

However, the Celtics did lose in the first round this season and Brad Stevens talked about how they were not good enough at his end of season press conference on Wednesday.

pic.twitter.com/JaJweYJIDX

— Karan (@ksenguptaa) May 8, 2026

However, I don’t think the Celtics need to rush into signing Brown to a new deal because their team wasn’t good enough this season and locking into this core doesn’t sound like something Brad Stevens is ready to do.

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.”

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

Philadelphia; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 212.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 3-0

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks look to clinch the series over the Philadelphia 76ers in game four of the Eastern Conference second round. The Knicks defeated the 76ers 108-94 in the last matchup on Friday. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 33 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. led the 76ers with 22.

The 76ers are 9-7 against division opponents. Philadelphia ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference with 16.9 fast break points per game led by VJ Edgecombe averaging 8.0.

The Knicks are 14-3 against opponents from the Atlantic Division. New York is third in the Eastern Conference allowing just 110.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.

The 76ers average 12.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer makes per game than the Knicks give up (13.9). The Knicks average 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than the 76ers allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Quentin Grimes is scoring 13.4 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the 76ers. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 24.4 points and 4.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Brunson is scoring 26.0 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 4-6, averaging 102.0 points, 38.8 rebounds, 21.0 assists, 5.4 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.9 points per game.

Knicks: 7-3, averaging 115.6 points, 43.9 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.6 points.

INJURIES: 76ers: None listed.

Knicks: OG Anunoby: day to day (hamstring).

___

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; Sunday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Spurs -4.5; over/under is 215.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Spurs lead series 2-1

BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs visit the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference second round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Spurs won the last meeting 115-108 on Saturday, led by 39 points from Victor Wembanyama. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 32.

The Timberwolves are 31-21 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota is sixth in the Western Conference with 33.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.5.

The Spurs are 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is fourth in the Western Conference with 16.3 fast break points per game led by Julian Champagnie averaging 3.0.

The Timberwolves' 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.8 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Spurs allow. The Spurs average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Timberwolves allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves. Naz Reid is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. De'Aaron Fox is averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 111.1 points, 47.3 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points per game.

Spurs: 7-3, averaging 116.9 points, 46.5 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 7.7 steals and 7.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.5 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 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.

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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

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 33 points and sealed the game with big buckets late to the delight of roaring Knicks fans, leading New York to a 109-94 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night for a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

With 2016 and 2018 Villanova national championship banners hanging in the rafters, the so-called Nova Knicks all took turns taking the fight out of the Sixers in the fourth quarter, turning a four-point lead into another double-digit victory

Josh Hart had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Mikal Bridges added 23 points, pushing the Knicks and first-year coach Mike Brown within one victory of their second straight conference finals appearance.

The Knicks have the luxury not to rush back forward OG Anunoby, who’s averaging 21.4 points per game in the postseason. He sat out with a strained right hamstring and remains day to day.

Joel Embiid scored 18 points for the Sixers in his return after he missed Game 2 with a sprained right ankle and a sore right hip.

SPURS 115, TIMBERWOLVES 108

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama delivered another masterpiece with 39 points, 15 rebounds and more game-wrecking defense for San Antonio, who took a 2-1 lead in the second-round NBA playoff series with a victory over Minnesota.

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.

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 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 rebounded.

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.

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.