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.”
Rotations are always cut a bit shorter as teams get deeper in the NBA playoffs, but depth players have to stay ready in case their number is called.
For the Knicks, that was Ariel Hukporti in Game 1 on Monday night.
Hukporti saw the floor just three times in New York’s first round meeting with the Hawks, but they were forced to turn to him early on this time around.
Karl-Anthony Towns ended up being okay after an early injury scare, but the big man was forced to the benched after picking up two early fouls against Joel Embiid.
Mitchell Robinson came on, but quickly picked up a foul of his own then Philadelphia turned to the Hack-A-Mitch strategy to try to slow the Knicks down, so he was pulled as well.
Ariel Hukporti entered into his most meaningful minutes thus far these playoffs.
The youngster was ready for the big moment, though, giving New York the big man they needed and holding his own in the tough matchup with Embiid downlow.
He went into the half as a +10 across his three minutes of action.
Hukporti saw even more time with the game out of reach down the stretch, and he ended up finishing the blowout victory with five points, a game-high nine rebounds, and a +22.
“I gotta give Ariel credit,” Mike Brown said. “We were in early foul trouble and Ariel came off the bench and he wasn’t expected to play, obviously, and he did a pretty solid job.
“You’re not going to stop a guy like Embiid or [Tyrese] Maxey, you just hopefully make them work without fouling them, and I thought Ariel did a really good job in that area.”
Hukporti will need to stay ready moving forward, as New York may have to turn to him again as they look to keep Embiid in check during this second round series.
Playing in the conference semifinal round for the first time in his career, Wembanyama, the Spurs phenom forward-center, swatted away 7 blocks in the first half Monday, May 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking the most ever by a San Antonio player in a playoff half since 1997.
That total was just one shy of Dwight Howard’s record for most blocks in any postseason half in the play-by-play era.
Wembanyama's block party didn't stop there. He was up to 10 before the end of the third quarter.
7 SWATS FOR WEMBY IN ONE HALF!
Most blocks in ANY postseason half in the PxP era:
The 7-foot-4 All-Star now has a unique opportunity to reach a rare points-rebounds-blocks triple-double. He has 8 points and 10 rebounds to go along with his 10 blocks with 2:36 remaining in the third.
Wembanyama started the second half much like he did the first; he dashed past Rudy Gobert for a dunk and minutes later blocked an attempted layup from Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels.
Freed from the clutches of Hawks defensive ace Dyson Daniels, Jalen Brunson terrorized the 76ers. He scored 27 of his 35 points in the first half and missed only six shots in 18 attempts. It was reminiscent of Brunson’s postseason brilliance two years ago against the 76ers, when he averaged 35.5 points in the series victory.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 drives to the basket as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George #8 defends. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Zero
The 76ers need Joel Embiid at his best to pull the upset in this series, and he struggled in the opener at both ends of the floor. Embiid managed only 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting and was minus-24 in 25 minutes. He was also a defensive liability, as the Knicks used him in the pick-and-roll, which led to open looks all evening.
Unsung hero
OG Anunoby is unconscious of late. He was 7-for-8 from the field Monday for 18 points and is 23-for-30 over the past three games. He also has was 8-for-11 from deep in that span. The exceptional two-way wing is playing the best basketball of his career at the right moment.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns #32 puts up a shot over Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid #21. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Key stat
63.1: The Knicks’ field goal percentage, setting a franchise playoff record. The previous mark was 63.0, set in 1995 against the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.
Quote of the day
“Honestly, you got to take this game with a grain of salt. I don’t think we’re going to see that team that we saw in Game 1 in Game 2. They’re going to be ready to go,”
It was the kind of game Knicks fans loved. It may not have been as big a blowout as New York's last game, but it also may have been more meaningful.
New York blew out visiting Philadelphia in Game 1 of their second-round series, 137-98, on a night they looked like clearly the best team in the East. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Manhattan.
The Knicks are a team in a groove, winning their last three games by at least 29 points, and in the last two they have shot 61% overall and 44% from 3-point range.
Part of the Knicks fast start and dominance was that the 76ers played like a team with a Game 7 hangover — they looked gassed a quarter into the game. Embiid started 1-of-6 and Maxey 1-of-4. If it wasn't for Paul George hitting 3-pointers, Philadelphia could have been in a much deeper hole earlier.
And that hole was already 23 points at the half, 74-51, leading to an ecstatic crowd reveling in it at Madison Square Garden. Things were going so well that Josh Hart had time to untie Jimmy Fallon's shoe courtside.
In the third quarter, the Knicks just added to their lead out of the gate, and Nurse, wisely, decided to rest his tired stars early and start thinking ahead to Game 2.
In addition to Brunson's hot hand, OG Anunoby had 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and five assists, playing well as the hub of the offense. Mikal Bridges added 17 points as well.
George was the only 76er with a hot hand all night, and while he played just 26 minutes, he led the team with 17 points. Joel Embiid finished with 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting, while Tyrese Maxey had 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting.
Expect a better outing from Philadelphia in Game 2, but if the Knicks are shooting like this there might be nothing the 76ers can do.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 04: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives around Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 04, 2026 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 23.5 VJ Edgecombe – 16 Joel Embiid – 14.5 Paul George – 9 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
Bad news — the Sixers lost the first game of their conference semi-final matchup against the Knicks 137-98.
Good news — the Sixers escaped in one piece, and none of the starters played 30 minutes just 48 hours after an exhausting Game 7 dogfight in Boston.
Jalen Brunson led the rested Knicks with an innocuous 35 points on 66% shooting (12-of-18 FG), while Karl Anthony-Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby combined for 52 points on 72% shooting (21-of-29 FG).
The Sixers, however, struggled to produce offense from the head of the snake. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey tallied only 27 points combined on 30% shooting (6-of-20).
The Knicks defensive consistency in the halfcourt will be the Sixers’ biggest hurdle this series. Getting out in transition more would help open things up, but that can only happen if the Sixers force a miss on defense and grab the rebound. Both prerequisites did not happen often on Monday.
Weeding through the mess of this game reveals a couple Bell Ringer-worthy performances.
George continues to be a constant presence, and was the one of two Sixers to carry over their offensive efficiency from Game 7 against the Celtics through the quick turnaround. He found his rhythm early, sinking a three off the catch after a Joel Embiid double team. He drilled another in the first off the dribble attacking Mitchell Robinson on a screen, and then opened the second quarter with a deep ball from the left wing.
George found Kelly Oubre Jr. multiple times in the first half. Once on a post pass to a cutting Oubre for a dunk, and then kicking out to Oubre after an effective drive for an open three.
Later in the first half, after an extended Knicks run, George found Embiid in the post with a perfect entry pass that lead to a tough finish at the rim. The next possession he would nail a pull-up jumper over Josh Hart after creating space with his dribble.
George was the only Sixer making shots by the time the third quarter started, nailing another three and a floater before Nick Nurse pulled the starters midway through the frame. The Sixers were down 31 points.
Kelly Oubre Jr. 12 points, 5-of-8 FG, 1-of-2 3PT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Oubre finally hit a three and played with a high energy level on both ends throughout the game, even starting the contest with a block on Hart. He had a couple frustrating turnovers, but showed he can be a factor offensively as a cutter in this series. Multiple dunks off timely backdoors cuts helped keep the offense afloat through most of the first half. He was the team leader in rebounds, which is an unsustainable gameplan moving forward, but noteworthy in a team-wide effort deprived of energy.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 4: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Tonight at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks hosted the 76ers in Game One of their semifinal series. New York had benefited from extra rest by routing Atlanta on Friday, while Philly took the Celtics to seven games before closing their series on Saturday. The visitors played like they had just fought a long battle as the Knicks won the first quarter by eight and clobbered them in the second quarter for a 23-point halftime lead. With New York scoring at will, their advantage reached 34 in the third quarter, and their reserves pushed the lead to 40 in the final frame. Final score: 137-98.
Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting (3-of-6 from three, 8-of-8 FT) in 31 minutes, chipping in three dimes and two steals with just one turnover. It was his most dominant performance of this postseason. As for the other starters, OG Anunoby scored 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, plus a steal and a block. Karl-Anthony Towns put up 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep, while contributing six rebounds, six assists, and two blocks in just 20 minutes. Josh Hart tallied eight points and rebounds, plus six assists in 26 minutes, while Mikal Bridges scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting (3-of-5 from three) in 27 minutes. Easily Bridges’ best game of the Playoffs, and he seemed to exorcise the ghosts of a rocky Atlanta series.
For Philly, Paul George led the way with 17 points. Joel Embiid scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds in 25 minutes. Tyrese Maxey managed 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting in 27 minutes in Knicks jail.
Opening night jitters? Maybe. Game One began with a botched jump ball, a narrowly avoided shot clock violation by Philly, and an OG Anunoby foul while fighting through an Embiid screen. No one got into rhythm until Josh Hart picked off Maxey and hit Mikal Bridges for a dunk. Then Towns drilled a triple in Embiid’s grill to take a 7-2 lead.
Two misses and a turnover allowed the guests to creep ahead. Towns picked up his second foul (on Embiid) before the six-minute mark. That brought in Mitchell Robinson, whom Embiid baited into a foul, too. The fouls were piling up, and the teams kept trading baskets, with 10 lead changes in the period. Later in the quarter, Brunson and McBride hit back-to-back triples to restore their lead. After a Nick Nurse timeout, Paul George missed from close range, and Nurse had Justin Edwards hack-a-Mitch. After Grimes bricked, Edwards hacked again. Our favorite Cajun missed all four attempts. You can’t knock the strategy; Brown’s hands were tied with Towns in foul trouble, and Mitch’s misses made for two empty possessions.
Hukporti, who logged just 19 minutes in Round One, trotted onto the court at the 2:30 mark. Continuing the theme, Huk fouled Embiid, who attempted (and made) six freebies in the first frame. Aside from free throws, nothing much was going right for Philly, though. After another bad pass by Maxey, OG sank two freebies, and Deuce added a bucket to secure a 33-25 lead at the break.
Brunson had 14 points in the first quarter, while New York’s defense had made life miserable for Tyrese Maxey. He didn’t score his first basket until midway through the second quarter. Philly’s lead guard made a handful from the charity stripe, though, and New York was entering a worrisome foul situation. Mitch committed his third after playing just eight minutes, while Towns and Anunoby had two apiece with almost seven minutes remaining in the half.
The Knicks scored on all levels, with Towns and Anunoby cooking alongside Brunson, and Hart and Bridges chipping in with relative ease. Our heroes went up by 18 with 3:30 to go, while the visitors missed a number of one-and-dones. Brunson scored the last 11 points for New York and hit a Hail Mary trey with the clock expiring to put New York up 74-51 at intermission.
Through the half, the Knicks had shot 66% overall and 50% from downtown, dished 16 assists, turned the ball over just four times, and doubled Philly’s points in the paint (32-16). The only thing keeping the game from being a total blowout so far was Philadelphia’s perfect 14-for-14 from the line. Brunson led all scorers with 27, the most he’d scored in a half this season, doing so on 10-of-14 shooting. For Philly, Maxey had 13 points on 3-of-8 shooting, while Embiid had 12 on 3-of-10.
To start the third quarter, Brunson picked Oubre’s pocket, and Hart cashed in the fast break for a 25-point lead. Thanks to New York’s smothering defense, Philly continued to be plagued by turnovers. Embiid threw the ball directly to Brunson, resulting in an Anunoby dunk at the other end. Then Maxey coughed up the ball, and Anunoby swished from deep. With about nine minutes on the clock, the differential was 27 points, and Nurse was apoplectic.
Desperate for answers, Philly tried going zone. The Knicks kept scoring. Towns walked in a layup and then hit from deep to give our heroes a 30-point lead with seven minutes left in the frame. Soon after, Bridges drilled from downtown, making it 31. From there, Philly went on a 9-3 run but continued to look lost in the sauce. Nurse gave some extra burn to his reserves (Drummond, Grimes, Barlow, Bona), letting his stars rest in what seemed like a hopeless cause. The hosts closed out the period strong, taking a 109-78 lead into the final frame.
Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet made unusually early appearances in the fourth quarter. The train kept rolling, with Kolek cashing multiple buckets from deep and Dadiet dunking. Mohamed Diawara got in on the action, too, as our heroes pushed the lead to 40. When the cutting was done, New York had won 137-98—meaning that they’d scored 277 points over the last two games. Unbelievable.
Up Next
Miranda’s coming in hot with a recap. Game Two will be played on Wednesday. Rest up, Knickerbockers.
