TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 1: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers & RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during the game during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Before the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for superstar guard James Harden, there was reportedly another team that his representatives inquired about seeking a deal with: the Houston Rockets.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, Harden’s team reached out to Houston to gauge their interest in acquiring the former MVP from the then-reeling Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers, who started 6-21, were in the midst of several crises and the subject of many trade rumors to try to right the ship. There had been mutual interest in both Harden’s camp and the Rockets’ over the past several years, according to ESPN.
But the Rockets, having moved away from that heliocentric type of player, were not interested in adding. One source told ESPN that, while it would be intriguing to have as great a player as Harden on the young Rockets team, they wanted to develop players like Reed Sheppard, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson instead. This was not the first time that Houston had spurned the chance to acquire Harden, having done so twice before.
Another source told ESPN that the Rockets “weren’t going to put the ball in James’ hands anyway”, and questioned the need to trade for someone that requires the rock to be impactful. All this despite the fact that Houston was without their starting point guard, Fred Van Vleet, who suffered a torn ACL before the season started.
As history would tell it, the Cavs swooped in and acquired Harden for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. The move, which garnered plenty of criticism and raised eyebrows across the league, was the kind of risk that the Rockets were not willing to take. But for the Cavs, it was worth it to raise their championship window for the next year or two just a smidge wider.
Part of the wink and nudge of the deal with the Clippers was probably a contract extension for Harden, who doesn’t have too many of them left in his Hall of Fame career. After all, the Cavs very likely would not move on from their former All-Star point guard in Garland — 10 years younger than Harden — for just half a season of Harden. But perhaps that is not a forgone conclusion given the reported mutual interest in a return to Space City.
The Cavs figure to be one of the more interesting teams this upcoming offseason, whether that occurs after this series with Detroit or beyond. Harden’s contract is a big part of the equation that Koby Altman must solve.
Philadelphia, PA - April 30: Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens talk during warmups. The Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Brad Stevens earned his Executive of the Year award by resetting his team’s roster financially while also fielding a squad of productive, overachieving, high effort players with high future potential. Then the first round happened and Cinderella’s carriage turned back into a pumpkin. So for his next trick, Brad Stevens has to use that hard earned flexibility to reload this roster for the future and get that glass slipper.
For a brief reminder, the reason the team cut all those salaries last offseason was because the current CBA was designed to break up teams like the 2024/2025 version of the Celtics. The ginormous tax bill was part of the problem, and we’ll never know how much it was a motivator. But the other big factor was all the team-building restrictions put on any team above the 2nd apron. I’m not looking to re-litigate that whole process — just pointing out that decisions were made with a stated objective to maximize future flexibility.
Well, the future is now. Jayson Tatum returned looking better than any could have hoped (with the unfortunate exception of Game 7) and will have a whole offseason to get back to 100%. Both Jayson and Jaylen Brown are squarely in the primes of their careers (and paid handsomely over the next 3-4 years). The singular goal of the front office is to field a championship level team this year and for the foreseeable future.
So where do we stand with the team’s books? Bobby Marks lays out the basics below.
Let’s take a closer look at some of those subjects. This is by no means an exhaustive breakdown, but a good place to kick things off two months before the draft and offseason and reset expectations.
While the team is under the tax aprons, they are still over the salary cap, which means they don’t have room under the cap to offer to free agents. (See Spotrac for a year over year breakdown of the roster). The good news is that they do have exceptions that they can use. More on that below.
Celtics Own Free Agents
The Celtics have several players that could be free agents, but nearly all of them have a team option to keep around. Some of those are no-brainers (Jordan Walsh) and others are decisions that can be made in the fall based on how the rest of the roster shakes out (Amari Williams, Ron Harper Jr., etc.).
Perhaps the most important objective is to find a way to keep Neemias Queta around. The team has a team option on him (so he’s almost certainly going to be back next year), but he’s also extension eligible. The team would be best served by picking up his option and extending off of that at (subject to what Queta is willing to agree to). The other option is to decline the option and sign him to a contract that starts off with a bigger first year value. The problem with that is that it takes away a lot of the flexibility that the team worked so hard to create.
Finally, the team has to decide what to do with Nikola Vucevic. In my opinion, they would be best served by letting him walk and using the flexibility elsewhere. There are also sign-and-trade options but I’m not sure if there’s going to be a ton of demand for his diminishing skills.
Another note: Payton Pritchard is not a free agent, but he is extension eligible as well (with one of the best contracts in basketball). I think the team would be wise to consider extending him beyond the two years left on his deal.
Free Agent Exceptions
The biggest lever the Celtics have for improving might be their Non-Tax Mid-Level Exception ($15M). They also have the Biannual Exception ($5.5M) that they could use. The asterisk here is that they will still have to make moves with an eye on the luxury tax. The trade deadline deals were made to duck the tax this year, but the repeater tax penalizes teams that are in the tax 3 out of 4 years. It is possible that under certain circumstances the team would consider it worth it to pay the taxes, but it would be an interesting decision given the cuts made this year.
The other item of note are the trade exceptions ($27.7M and others). The important note here is that the team would get hard capped at the First Apron if they used any of these. There are ways to cut costs elsewhere and/or use these exceptions in creative ways. Just don’t assume that we can simply trade for anyone making under $27.7M and call it a day.
Draft Picks
The Celtics currently own picks #27 and #40 in the upcoming draft. From what (little) I understand, the draft should be relatively deep and there could be value found. On the other hand, the team currently skews pretty young already and Brad might find better value in using those picks to trade for veteran contributors.
Your turn
So what do you think the Celtics should do next? What areas of need do you think the team should address as a priority? What would you do with Vucevic? Are there any free agents that you would target? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and let’s start a discussion.
Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -6.5; over/under is 215
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last meeting 137-98 on Tuesday, led by 35 points from Jalen Brunson. Paul George led the 76ers with 17.
The Knicks are 14-3 against opponents in the Atlantic Division. New York averages 116.5 points and has outscored opponents by 6.4 points per game.
The 76ers are 9-7 in division matchups. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference scoring 50.1 points per game in the paint led by Tyrese Maxey averaging 14.0.
The Knicks score 116.5 points per game, 0.4 more points than the 116.1 the 76ers allow. The 76ers score 5.8 more points per game (115.9) than the Knicks give up (110.1).
TOP PERFORMERS: Brunson is scoring 26.0 points per game with 3.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 16.7 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 58.1% over the last 10 games.
Quentin Grimes is shooting 45.0% and averaging 13.4 points for the 76ers. George is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 116.4 points, 42.0 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.1 points per game.
76ers: 6-4, averaging 105.5 points, 41.9 rebounds, 21.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: None listed.
76ers: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Victor Wembanyama recently became the NBA's first unanimous winner of the defensive player of the year award [Getty Images]
A record-breaking defensive performance from Victor Wembanyama was not enough to prevent the Minnesota Timberwolves taking a 1-0 lead against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA's Conference semi-finals.
Wembanyama made 12 blocks - a record for the NBA play-offs - but Minnesota, sixth seed in the Western Conference, upset second seed San Antonio by claiming a 104-102 win on the road on Monday.
The defensive player of the year added 11 points and 15 rebounds, becoming the third player to get a triple-double in the play-offs including blocks since the league began tracking blocks in 1973-74.
Anthony Edwards returned from a knee injury for the Timberwolves and scored 18 points from the bench as they held on to win the opening game of the best-of-seven series.
San Antonio remain at home for game two on Wednesday.
"We have to be better," said Wembanyama. "We need to figure it out in the next 48 hours, and I've got no doubt that we will. I would trust us."
The New York Knicks made a commanding start to their series with the Philadelphia 76ers, winning 137-98 at home.
The Knicks, who are the third seed in the Eastern Conference, became the first NBA team to win three straight play-off games by at least 25 points.
Jalen Brunson scored 27 of his game-high 35 points in the first half while London-born forward OG Anunoby finished with 18.
After beating the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 on Thursday, the Knicks became just the second team in NBA history to end one series and begin another with consecutive victories by at least 30 points.
"Wasn't any fun to be a part of, to be honest," said 76ers coach Nick Nurse. "But it's 0-1. Doesn't really matter if it's six points or 36 or whatever the hell it was."
Game two is scheduled for New York's Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Spurs -9.5; over/under is 215.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Timberwolves lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves visit the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 104-102 on Tuesday, led by 21 points from Julius Randle. Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 18.
The Spurs are 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is ninth in the league with 28.1 assists per game. Stephon Castle leads the Spurs averaging 7.4.
The Timberwolves are 31-21 in Western Conference play. Minnesota ranks second in the Western Conference shooting 37.0% from 3-point range.
The Spurs make 48.3% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.1 percentage points higher than the Timberwolves have allowed to their opponents (46.2%). The Timberwolves are shooting 48.1% from the field, 3.0% higher than the 45.1% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: De'Aaron Fox is shooting 48.6% and averaging 18.6 points for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama is averaging 15.2 points over the last 10 games.
Anthony Edwards is averaging 28.8 points and 3.7 assists for the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels is averaging 15.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 7-3, averaging 114.8 points, 45.4 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 7.6 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.5 points per game.
Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 116.4 points, 43.4 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 6.8 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.7 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Carter Bryant: out (foot).
Timberwolves: Ayo Dosunmu: out (calf), Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The game never felt comfortable. Not for a second. Every possession was a fight. Every shot was earned. And by the time the final seconds ticked away Monday night, the difference between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves came down to a single shot that wouldn’t fall.
San Antonio opened its Western Conference semifinal series with a narrow 104-102 loss, a game defined less by scoring runs and more by survival. From the opening tip, it was clear this wouldn’t be pretty. Shots clanged off the rim. Driving lanes disappeared as quickly as they opened. Both teams leaned into physicality, turning the game into a defensive grind that never allowed rhythm to settle in.
“They’re physical, they guard the basketball really well,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of Minnesota. “They take a lot of pride in it. In first half, I thought we were a bit indecisive, that hurt us in the first half, picked up pace in 2nd half. We missed some good shots.”
Still, the Spurs never broke.
They absorbed Minnesota’s pressure, matched their intensity, and kept the score within reach all night long. It wasn’t smooth or flashy, but it was enough to keep hope alive deep into the fourth quarter with a three point lead.
If there was one force that shaped the night, it was Victor Wembanyama. Every time Minnesota thought it had an easy look at the rim, he was there: altering shots, blocking attempts, and reshaping the Timberwolves’ offense entirely. His performance was historic, anchoring a defensive effort that gave San Antonio every chance to steal Game 1.
But even dominance on that end couldn’t solve everything and for all their defensive success, the Spurs struggled to find consistent scoring. Open looks were rare. Clean possessions were even rarer. And when opportunities did come, San Antonio couldn’t convert enough of them, especially from beyond the arc.
“Offensively I used too much energy on things that didn’t really help our team. So that’s on me,” Wembanyama said after the game. “First thing, I need to start making some shots [in Game 2].”
Instead, they leaned on balance. Contributions came from across the roster, with rookie guard Dylan Harper stepping into the moment and leading the team in scoring with 18 points. It was enough to stay close, even going into the final minutes. Unfortunately, it was not enough to steal the win from the jaws of defeat.
For the Timberwolves, didn’t solve the Spurs’ defense. Instead, they handled it better than the Portland Trail Blazers. Timely baskets from Julius Randle helped create a sliver of separation late, while Anthony Edwards returned to the lineup and provided a spark that shifted momentum in key moments.
In a game where neither side could build a cushion, those small bursts mattered. And in the final minutes, they were the difference. Despite off games from Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs still had a chance to win the basketball game. That alone should give the Spurs and their fans some hope going into Game 2.
Game 1 didn’t reveal a mismatch. It revealed how thin the line is. The Spurs proved they can go toe-to-toe with Minnesota’s physicality, match their defense, and withstand the pressure of a playoff atmosphere. But they also learned how little room there is for error.
Two points. One shot. A handful of possessions.
That’s all that separated them from a different ending — and perhaps, a different start to the series.
Game Notes
De’Aaron Fox had one of his worst outings as a Spur, scoring 10 points on 35% shooting and turning the ball over six times. After the game, Fox told San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Orsborn that the loss is on him. “I think this game, in particular, I think it was on me,” he said.
There has been debate on Mitch Johnson not calling timeout on the final play and that seems like the right move. Julian hits that shot 95% of the time. This was the 5% he didn’t. You move on. As bad as Fox and Wemby were, the Spurs almost stole Game 1 from the jaws of defeat. Encouraging for Game 2.
Wemby’s 12 blocks are just incredible.
De’Aaron Fox and Wemby combined for just 21 points and were 0-for-12 from three-point range. That’s not likely to happen again in this series or the rest of the playoffs. So that’s good news for the Spurs.
With two top-10 defenses facing off, points were always going to be hard to come by in a second-round series between Minnesota and San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama took that to another level — he had 12 blocks in Game 1, the most in a playoff game in 52 years. All of which is why Anthony Edwards' return from a bone bruise in his knee to play 25 minutes off the bench was so critical for Minnesota. His 18 points were a huge boost, as was the emotion of just having him back on the floor. Mike Conley also gave the Timberwolves a boost, shooting 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and Julius Randle did the same, scoring 21, including a clutch bucket in the final minute.
And yet, the Spurs had a good chance to win it. Julian Champagnie — who set a Spurs franchise record this season for made 3-pointers — got a quality look at the game-winner. It just didn't fall.
Minnesota stole Game 1 on the road by the score of 104-102. Game 2 is in San Antonio on Wednesday.
This has the potential to be the best series of the second round, two very evenly matched teams.
Minnesota's physical defense threw off Wembanyama (5-of-17 shooting) and De'Aaron Fox (5-of-14), who combined to score just 21 points.
"They did what they do, they're physical, they guard the ball well," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of the Timberwolves defense.
What do the Spurs need to do to change that dynamic?
"Start by making some shots," Wembanyama said bluntly. Minnesota might be one of the all-time great flip-the-switch teams the league has seen, a group disinterested in the regular season but come the playoffs, they are a different team.
Having Edwards back helped with that — he was his vintage self, chirping at the Spurs bench after a made basket, then not long after begging coach Chris Finch to leave him in the game.
This game was close the entire way, neither team ever led by double digits.
The 45-45 score at the half and the fact that both teams shot less than 42% overall were signs of what a defensive series this is going to be. Or there was the fact that Wembanyama had seven blocks in the first half alone.
Minnesota got 16 points from Jaden McDaniels despite his spending much of the night in foul trouble. Terrence Shannon Jr. added 16 points as well, and Naz Reid had a dozen off the bench.
Rookie Dylan Harper was doing his thing getting downhill and led the Spurs with 18 points, while Stephon Castle and Champagnie each added 17 for the Spurs.
San Antonio shot just 10-of-36 (27.8%) from 3 for the game, expect that to improve, and the young Spurs to improve.
Just don't expect a scoring explosion, it's not going to be that kind of series.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 27 of his 35 points in the first half and the New York Knicks emphatically added to a historic postseason roll by overwhelming the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 on Monday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks became the first team in NBA history to win three straight postseason games by at least 25 points, continuing a wave that began midway through the first round against Atlanta by shooting 63% from the field and leading by 40 points.
OG Anunoby added 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges both had 17, with Towns adding six rebounds and six assists in just 20 minutes.
After trailing 2-1 against Atlanta, the Knicks have won four straight games by a total of 135 points. They are the first team since detailed play-by-play began in 1996-97 to lead three straight playoff games by at least 30 points, according to Sportradar.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 18 points in his unexpected return from injury and Minnesota overcame a huge game by Victor Wembanyama and held on to beat San Antonio in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals.
Wembanyama had 11 points and 15 rebounds and set an NBA postseason record with 12 blocks. He’s the third player to get a triple-double in the playoffs including blocks since the league began tracking blocks in 1973-74.
San Antonio cut the deficit to 104-102 on a steal by Devin Vassell and layup by Dylan Harper with 31 seconds remaining. Following a miss by Minnesota’s Julius Randle, Julian Champagnie couldn’t connect on a 3-pointer at the buzzer as San Antonio suffered only its second loss in its last 17 series openers at home.
Randle finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Harper scored 18 points and Champagnie and Stephon Castle had 17 each for the Spurs.
Edwards was expected to miss at least the first two games of the series after suffering a bone bruise and hyperextending his left knee on April 25 during Game 4 of Minnesota’s opening-round series against Denver. Instead, Edwards worked diligently to return with guards Donte DiVincenzo (torn right Achilles tendon) and Ayo Dosunmu (right calf soreness) out with injuries.
Edwards did not start, entering the game with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter and the Timberwolves trailing 11-8. He finished 8 for 13 in 25 minutes.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 4: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The good thing about a defensive battle is that it provides some incredibly compelling basketball, where every shot must be earned, and every make has been fought for. The bad thing about a defensive battle is that sometimes no one makes a shot for five minutes at a time, and you can feel the life force draining from you as you watch a 7’4” inhuman monster block every single shot that the Minnesota Timberwolves throw within 48 inches of him.
The best part about a defensive battle, however, is winning it. It’s that first gasp of air after a stressful game. May basketball is fun. There’s truly nothing better than this.
The return of Anthony Edwards loomed large heading into this one, as just over a week after nearly snapping his knee on live television, the superstar shooting guard stepped back onto the court just a few minutes into the first quarter.
However, with Ant on a minutes restriction and Ayo Dosumnu still out with a calf injury, the Wolves lacked any real 3-point shooting or self-shot creation. With that need in place, Chris Finch did what would’ve seemed impossible a day ago. He let Ant challenge the limits of the minutes restriction.
Edwards started off slow but found a rhythm in the fourth. He is clearly still hobbled; his verticality and burst are near zero comparatively, but still, he continued to push.
For Minnesota, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels performed admirably as offensive pressure valves, with Jaden finding shot after shot from inside the arc and Reid with a team-best plus/minus. However, there was a looming absence that continues to shape the Wolves’ rotation.
TJ Shannon and Jaylen Clark continue to figure into minutes distributions, largely due to the loss of not just Dosumnu but the ever-missed Donte Divincenzo.
It’s pretty obvious that losing a guy taking eight threes a game and making around 40% of them is gonna be a devastating event, but it’s especially bad when the San Antonio Spurs defense was hemorrhaging open threes and the Wolves just didn’t have anyone to shoot them.
Wolves can't take 3x more 2PT shots than 3PT shots in the 2H
They made 5 of their 13 triples (38.5%) and just 15 of their 35 2s (42.9%)
Love the 20 shot attempts at the rim (10/20, 50%), but just 5-15 (33.3%) on floaters/middies.
The Wolves roster is shaped by its specialists. Bones Hyland being terrible tonight made the lack of healthy Ayo and Ant even more obvious. The impact of Jaylen Clark as a defensive ace gave Jaden just enough of a break to not foul out in the same with that his counterpart in Stephon Castle did.
In losing Donte, they lost that aspect of themselves. It was painfully obvious tonight.
Everything came to a head in the last three minutes of the game. After an aggressive Ant built a lead that Julius Randle maintained, the Wolves led by seven with 180 seconds remaining. A minute later, DeAaron Fox scored a fastbreak layup to bring that lead down to a more achievable five.
Clutch time was always a worry for the Spurs, who lack any real playoff experience beyond Harrison Barnes, but there is also the question of whether this will be a running theme or a one-off. The Wolves have been here; the Spurs have not.
That was not immediately obvious, though. While the Wolves floundered, San Antonio stayed alive. A couple of second-chance points given up to Julian Champagnie (of all people) pulled it down to four when it could’ve been game over with miss after miss still becoming points.
Free-throw shooting has long since been an issue for Minnesota. Maybe it started when Anthony Edwards went from around 85% to 75% near overnight. Maybe it became more obvious when Rudy Gobert joined the team. Maybe it just got particularly obvious when checking the box score and seeing those nine missed free throws.
Dumb mistakes have also been abundant. From Rudy Gobert forcing a three-second rule to turn over Julius Randle to ridiculous turnovers to the lasting memories, lackluster defense, and backcuts from so many different playoff runs. Tonight’s version was a cursed inbounds play.
All of that was nearly enough to sink the Wolves.
But that’s exactly the thing: nearly.
The Wolves didn’t blow it. They held on and won Game 1 to claim home court advantage in this series.
There are so many things to point at to blame for this game. The last three minutes were a comedy of errors. The inbound pass that led to a turnover to bring the lead down to two was horrifying. The final offensive possession from Julius Randle (who had an excellent game and even better fourth quarter) was mindbogglingly bad.
Anthony Edwards spent the entirety of his postgame presser talking about how terribly he played. Nine days after a major knee injury, he was upset with his lack of rebounding. He had a fair amount to be upset about and an upsetting amount of things that he should be fairer about.
There was no way this should have worked. This should have been a disaster. In anything outside of a Disney Channel movie, this ends in failure and pain.
But it didn’t really matter.
On a night where Victor Wembanyama challenged the playoff block record in only the first quarter, the Wolves did enough to win.
If he can have his own movie moment, the Wolves can have their own.
Additionally, the potential return of Ayo Dosumnu, echoing that of Ant tonight, could give Minnesota another extra boost when the Spurs are very much locked in on who they are. It seems this series will be the ultimate battle of basketball identity vs. team identity.
The Spurs know exactly how they play. The Wolves know exactly who they are.
That made all the difference tonight.
“We just want to win ballgames. That’s all we want to do, as a group. No matter whose night it is, we don’t care, we want to embrace each other.
“We just want to win ballgames,” says Anthony Edwards. They have done that more than any era in franchise history. They did that tonight.
Goodnight Wolves fans. We’ll be back again on Wednesday night for Game 2, which likely won’t be nearly as neck and neck as this one was.
Phew. I have no other words outside of a few expletives and that aforementioned sigh. What a game. What. A. Game.
Up Next
Game 2 of this Timberwolves-Spurs series continues on Wednesday as the Wolves look to take the first two games on the road as they did two years ago in Denver. Tip-off is again at 8:30 PM CT, airing this time on ESPN.
Game 1 went about as good as the Knicks could’ve hoped.
New York came out on their homecourt and really set the tone for this second round series, dominating the 76ers on both ends of the floor in a commanding 39-point victory.
Defensively, they shutdown Philly’s one-two punch of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, limiting them to just a combined 27 points and six fields goals on the night.
They continued clicking on all cylinders offensively, as well, as everyone who logged a minute scored and they shot a whopping 63 percent from the field as a team.
“We played full game of Knicks basketball,” Josh Hart said.
“I thought it was a really good game by our guys,” Mike Brown added.
New York has put together their best stretch of basketball when it’s mattered the most, winning their last four games by a combined 135 points.
That’s the largest point-differential in any four-game span in NBA playoff history.
Even as they keep rolling, though, the Knicks now firsthand that they can’t get too far ahead of themselves as there is still a lot of series left to be played.
“It’s good, but it’s just one game,” Mikal Bridges said. “It goes back to 0-0 in Game 2.”
“You’ve got to take this with a grain of salt and just move forward,” Jalen Brunson added. “I don’t think we’re going to see that team that we saw in Game 1 out there in Game 2 -- they’re going to be ready to go.”
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is guarded by Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After seven days off since beating the Trail Blazers in Game 5 of the first round, the San Antonio Spurs opened Round 2 against an injured but pesky Minnesota Timberwolves squad that gave them trouble in the regular season. It was an old school, defensive slug-fest most of the night, with neither team able to find much offense or build any separation throughout the first three quarters. Unfortunately, behind the surprising return of Anthony Edwards, the Wolves went on a run in the fourth quarter and built just a big enough lead that the Spurs couldn’t quite make it all the way back from, losing on a Dylan Harper miss at the buzzer, 102-104.
Despite seven Spurs scoring in double figures, they got very little offense from their stars. Wemby had an inefficient triple-double with 11 points, 15 rebounds and Spurs playoff record 12 blocks, while Harper led all Spurs with 18 points off the bench. Julius Randall, who was huge in the fourth quarter, led the Wolves with 21 points, while Edwards had 18 in 25 minutes off the bench.
Observations
Ant and Wemby are a lot alike: they’re both confident, loud and highly competitive. Just like many were surprised to see Wemby returns from a concussion in just five days in Round 1, there was equal surprise when it was announced Edwards would be ready for Game 1 of Round 2 tonight, albeit off the bench and on a minutes restriction, despite dealing with runners knee in one leg and a hyper extension and bone bruise in the other, suffered just over a week ago. Playing on two bad knees doesn’t seem like the greatest idea, and odds are he wouldn’t be if this were the regular season, but these are the playoffs, and competitive Ant won the argument.
Neither team faced particularly formidable defenses in the first round, so the opening minutes felt like both a “brushing of the rust” and adjustment period. Both squads tried and found out that challenging Wemby and Gobert at the rim is a fool’s errand, and there wasn’t a whole lot of ball movement from either team.
One thing the Spurs did have going initially was the three-point shot, as they hit 4 of their first 7 while the Wolves missed their first four to get out to a 17-10 lead, but then they went cold and otherwise kept getting stuffed everywhere on the court when they tried to play iso-ball, and the Wolves responded with a 12-2 run while Edwards was in the game and led 24-23 after the first quarter.
The scripts flipped to start the second quarter. With Gobert resting and Wemby in, it was his turn to stuff the paint while the Spurs finally had a path to the rim, using a 9-0 to retake the lead. The quarter continued to be a game of runs, often dictated why whether Wemby or Gobert were on the floor, and the defensive-dominant half fittingly ended with things tied at 45 apiece, which actually kind of felt like a win for the Spurs considering Wemby had just 6 points on 3-9 shooting and Fox 0 on 0-5. They largely had Stephon Castle and Harper to thank, who combined for 22 points on 7-13 shooting in the half.
What Wemby was doing was dominating on defense, with 7 blocks in the half, one off of tying Dwight Howard for the most ever in a half of a playoff game. (He had originally tied it, but one was retroactively taken away during halftime.) He got his 10th in the third quarter to surpass Tim Duncan’s Spurs record of 9 blocks in a playoff game, which he achieved three times between 2002 and 2003. Wemby’s 12 overall blocks was one shy of George Johnson’s franchise record of 13 in 1981.
The third quarter was more of the same: a defensive slug-fest with neither team able to consistently score, and every time one team created a sliver of daylight (as in a four or five-point lead), the other team would respond. One place the Wolves kept shooting themselves in the foot was the free throw line, where they were 5-13 after three quarters, and the Spurs being in the bonus early ended up being a blessing in disguise as it gave them a chance to breath while the Wolves missed free throws. The Spurs led 72-69 after three.
After being mostly invisible in his brief stints in the middle two quarters, the offenses opened up and Edwards scored 8 quick points to open the fourth quarter, and while the Spurs had a brief answer, they appeared out of gas while everything opened up for the Wolves. They couldn’t get a kind whistle on either end, were missing easy shots on offense, and even when they did get stops, the Wolves made lemonade off broken plays, stretching the lead to as much as nine at 95-86 with under five minutes to go. The Spurs tried to fight back, getting within two points on a Harper steal with 31 seconds left and a chance to win at the buzzer, but Harper’s three came up just short.
This was the second game in a row Castle fouled out, this time with just over three minutes left. He’s not afraid to muck it up a bit, but that can get him trouble in games with a tight whistle, and this was one of them. (In fairness to him, he had a couple of bad calls against him, the fifth one of which was Randall pushing him over from behind. No idea how that was perceived as a foul on Castle, but the Spurs didn’t have a challenge after Mitch Johnson had used it on another Castle foul in the first quarter in which he was pushed, but the refs decided he grabbed the defender first, which was iffy.)
Mikal Bridges helped the Knicks win Game 1 on Monday.
Was it a one-game anomaly?
Or the start of a turnaround?
Based on Monday night, it could be the latter.
Bridges was at his best in the opening-round, series-clinching rout of the Hawks, the kind of performance the Knicks would like to see more from the two-way wing, and he built on it in the opener of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Bridges attacked, was decisive and was typically strong on the defensive end, helping the Knicks to another blowout victory, a 137-98 mauling of the 76ers in Game 1 of this best-of-seven series.
He had 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting along with five assists and a plus-19 rating in 27 minutes.
He also kept 76ers star Tyrese Maxey under wraps.
“It’s very important. He’s a huge factor for us,” Jalen Brunson said of Bridges. “He’s been playing great.”
Mikal Bridges reacts during the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the 76ers on May 4. Charles Wenzelberg
It was a down regular season for Bridges.
He attempted his fewest field goals (11.7) since the 2021-22 season, and he averaged only 14.4 points, well down from the 17.6 he tallied in his first season as a Knick.
He struggled over the first five games of the Hawks series before his 24-point, five-rebound, three-assist breakout in Game 6.
There was talk of bringing him off the bench at one point in the series, although coach Mike Brown stuck with the 29-year-old Bridges.
Mikal Bridges defends Tyrese Maxey during the Knicks’ May 4 win. NBAE via Getty Images
“He’s been our starting two-guard all year, and he’s had a really good season, so for me it was easy,” Brown said.
Bridges’ best is needed against the 76ers.
In Game 1, he spent a lot of time guarding Maxey, Philadelphia’s budding star.
Maxey averaged 26.9 points, 6.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds and shot 41.8 percent from 3-point range in Philadelphia’s opening-round victory over the Celtics.
During the regular season, Maxey had success against the Knicks as well, producing 30 points and 5.3 assists in four contests.
But that player was missing in the series opener, held to 13 points on 3-for-9 shooting along with four turnovers.
Bridges had a lot to do with that.
“He didn’t shut Maxey down. Maxey missed some shots, and our team defense behind him was pretty good,” Brown said. “But the one thing that I give Mikal a lot of credit for is his alertness and his ability to have multiple efforts when guarding Maxey because Maxey is similar to [Stephen Curry], where he’s constantly moving, especially when it comes to the two-man game with [Joel] Embiid.
“You can’t ever relax. And Mikal did as good as he could, trying to stay with him whether he was moving or when he gave up the basketball.”
Dec 23, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) moves to the basket on Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the 4th quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
The Lakers and the Sonics/Thunder have plenty of history between them in the playoffs throughout the decades. LA has had memorable battles in both Seattle and Oklahoma City with title-winning teams picking up wins en route to the Finals.
Let’s look back before moving forward and take a Dip in the Lake with the Sonics/Thunder playoff history.
1978 Playoffs – First Round
In this best -of-3 series, it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Adrian Dantley and Norm Nixon against Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma and Gus Williams.
Game 1 was a loss for the Lakers with Don Ford starting, so a change was made for Game 2 with Jamaal Wilkes replacing him. Game 2 tied the series and in Game 3, Kareem scored 31 points, but it was not enough.
The Sonics would go on to the Finals, losing to the Washington Bullets, led by Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes, in seven games.
1979 Playoffs – Second Round
In this next matchup, Johnson was a thorn in the Lakers’ side, which would continue later on in his career in Boston.
Games 1 and 2 were pretty similar to last year’s matchup, with the Sonics winning both. The Lakers grabbed Game 3, and in Games 4 and 5, it was the Sonics defense and balanced approach that was too much as the Sonics won the series 4-1 and went on to win the title over the Bullets in a rematch.
1980 Playoffs – Conference Finals
With the arrival of Magic Johnson and the Showtime era, there was a change. Game 1 went down to the wire with the Sonics winning by one after a late Jack Sikma free throw.
In the next four games, the Lakers would handle things and gentleman sweep the Sonics on the way to a title against the 76ers, including the memorable Game 6 with Magic playing center.
1987 Playoffs – Conference Finals
Still firmly in the Showtime Era, the Lakers saw James Worthy dominate the series by averaging 30.5 points per game. The Lakers would go on to sweep the Sonics before eventually beating the Celtics in six games to win another title.
1989 Playoffs – Second Round
As the two-time defending champions, the 1989 semifinals would create a unique challenge with the decline of Kareem. Up to this point in the playoffs, Kareem would play less than 30 minutes per game with Magic and Worthy taking up more prominent roles.
Sound familiar?
It became a balancing act of ensuring Kareem was ready for the latter part of the playoffs. This series would be a sweep once again as the Lakers would eventually face the Bad Boy Pistons at the peak of their powers, who ended any chance of the Lakers getting more rings in the ‘80s.
1995 Playoffs – First Round
In Del Harris’ first season as head coach, he had former Sonic Sedale Threat in tow with a brand new young core of Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Cedric Ceballos and Vlade Divac. But it would be a challenge out of the gate.
Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp would be the main duo for Seattle in the ‘90s. Game 1 did not go according to plan, but the remaining three games went the Lakers’ way.
1998 Playoffs – Conference Semifinals
With the departure of Kemp to the Cavs, there would be no Shaq and Kobe Bryant against Kemp and Payton matchup.
The Sonics won the first game of the series, but that was a flash in the pan as the Lakers took the next four games despite Kobe being limited throughout the series.
2010 Playoffs – First Round
This was the era of the young Thunder in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, and they would turn out to be one of the hardest matchups in the later years of Kobe’s career.
In the first few games, the Lakers couldn’t stop Durant. The two teams split the first four games. Games 5 and 6 would be different as the Lakers blocked off the middle with their twin towers of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.
The series is best remembered, though, for Pau’s heroics to win Game 6 late.
The Lakers would go on to win the title in seven games against the Celtics.
2012 Playoffs – Conference Semifinals
An aging Lakers core led by Kobe came up against an ascending Thunder side led by Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. It was a 5-game series with the Lakers were on the tail end of their dynasty.
The Thunder would go on to the Finals to face the Heatles and lose in five games.
A dip is all it takes to soak yourself in history.
"If you can't be at Madison Square Garden watching the Knicks ... this is a great second choice," said Stiller, who added the Knicks will win the semifinal series in six games. "This is an incredible event supporting the Costume Institute and the arts in New York. And we've been here a couple of times."
Stiller and his actress wife Christine Taylor, however, paid homage to the Knicks by wearing orange and blue.
"We are representing for the Knicks. We are wearing our Knicks colors," Taylor said during an interview with Vogue.
While Stiller was full of regret for missing Game 1 between the Knicks and 76ers, actor Timothée Chalamet was in attendance at Madison Square Garden.
Chalamet was in his customary courtside seats for the Knicks' 137-98 Game 1 rout ... even while girlfriend Kylie Jenner made an appearance at the fashion spectacle across town.
The stars are out at MSG for Sixers/Knicks Game 1!
Jenner is typically a courtside staple alongside Chalamet at Knicks playoff games, but the Met Gala created a scheduling conflict for the couple. There was precedent for Chalamet, meanwhile, as he skipped the Met Gala last year, too, so he could watch the Knicks on TV in a playoff game against the Boston Celtics.
Karl-Anthony Towns attempts a shot over Joel Embiid during the Knicks' May 4 win.
The spotlight was on Joel Embiid from the opening tip.
The first “f–k Embiid” chant came immediately afterward.
Several more followed.
The sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden picked up where it left off two years ago, screaming when the Sixers’ 7-footer flopped and erupting every time Jalen Brunson burned him.
But unlike the intense first-round matchup in 2024 — when the reigning MVP delivered a series of timely buckets, cheap shots and verbal jabs — the Knicks now may have the most impactful big man in the series.
While Embiid failed to make much of an impact in the series opener — scoring 14 points while shooting 3-for-11 from the field and recording a minus-24 rating — Karl-Anthony Towns continued his incredible all-around postseason, finishing with 17 points (7-for-11 shooting from the field, including 3-for-5 on 3-pointers), six rebounds, six assists and two blocks in just 20 minutes of the 137-98 win.
Karl-Anthony Towns attempts a shot over Joel Embiid during the Knicks’ May 4 win. Charles Wenzelberg
In the first-round win over the Hawks, coach Mike Brown helped swing the series when he put the ball in Towns’ hands, asking the 7-footer to facilitate the offense.
He responded with his first pair of playoff triple-doubles, finishing the six-game series averaging 18.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.7 steals while shooting nearly 57 percent from the field and over 44 percent on 3-pointers.
“I just love that I get to get my teammates involved and I get a chance to quarterback the offense and put them in positions where I feel they can succeed,” Towns said. “They’re trusting me more with the ball right now, and I want to continue to repay their trust with the right plays and make the right decisions.”
Towns, a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, never has taken fewer shots and rarely made so much of an impact, helping put the Knicks three wins from another conference finals appearance after helping the team end its 25-year drought last year.
During the regular season, Towns averaged a career-low 13.8 field goal attempts.
In the first round, he averaged 9.7.
On Monday, he took only one shot in the first quarter — hitting a 3-pointer — before his worst habit emerged.
Karl-Anthony Towns attempts a shot during the Knicks’ May 4 win over the 76ers. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
After stripping Embiid on back-to-back possessions, Towns headed to the bench with two fouls in barely more than five minutes of play.
But when Towns returned in the second quarter, he immediately made noise, attacking Andre Drummond to score inside.
He followed with a beautiful backdoor pass to Jose Alvarado.
By halftime, Towns had 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and one block.
Before the third quarter was done, Towns left the floor for the final time, with the Knicks leading by 27.
“I think we’re doing a good job of executing what we want to do and a better understanding of the new system,” Towns said. “We’re doing a great job of cutting and bringing energy to our cuts and putting ourselves into positions where we can succeed.”
“We’re playing well, but it doesn’t mean anything if we can’t find a way to get three more wins.”
