Category: Basketball

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 9, 2026

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

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

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

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

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 9, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Up Next

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

Highlights

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

Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

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

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

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

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

SPURS 115, TIMBERWOLVES 108

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

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

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

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

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

Jaden McDaniels drew Wembanyama’s fifth foul with 6:18 left and brought the Wolves within 99-98 on pair of free throws, but the Spurs never trailed in the second half despite never leading by double digits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 9, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Observations

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

Game Rundown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He also added nine assists for good measure. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Josh Hart is going to play through the pain.

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

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

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

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

“Thumb’s cool,” he said.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What if the Jazz win the lottery?

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

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

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

The Knicks were fully up for the challenge.

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

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

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

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

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

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 23.5
VJ Edgecombe – 16
Joel Embiid – 14.5
Paul George – 10
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5
Justin Edwards – 4
Dominick Barlow – 3
Andre Drummond – 3
Quentin Grimes – 3
Jared McCain – 3
MarJon Beauchamp – 2
Adem Bona – 1
Porter Martone – 1
Cam Payne – 1
Jabari Walker – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

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The Sixers returned home for an all-important Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday night vs. the New York Knicks. The Sixers come into this one staring at a 2-0 series deficit, after a heartbreaking loss down the stretch of Game 2 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Joel Embiid, who was absent from the lineup on Wednesday due to ankle and hip injuries, returned to the lineup for tonight’s game as the Sixers looked to avoid going into a 3-0 series hole. Knicks star wing OG Anunoby, who has been fantastic in this postseason on both ends of the floor, was out for this one as he suffered a hamstring strain in the closing minutes of Game 2. Reminder that teams that go down 3-0 in a series are 0-160 in NBA history. All hands-on deck for the Sixers as they looked to keep their hopes of a deep postseason run alive.

tonight’s starting 5

🔔 @TyreseMaxey
🔔 @vj_edgecombe
🔔 @JoelEmbiid
🔔 @KELLYOUBREJR
🔔 @Yg_Trece@Toyotapic.twitter.com/iStRuy15HR

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 8, 2026

The Sixers got off to a hot start, jumping out to a 9-0 lead to start the game. The energy in the building was palpable. Paul George poured in 15 first-quarter points to pace the Sixers. The Knicks called an early timeout as the Sixers got back-to-back monster slams from VJ Edgecombe midway through the fourth quarter. New York closed the quarter well to get the deficit to 31-27 at the close of the first.

.@Yg_Trece is FEELING IT! 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/8YC7IEZHFh

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 8, 2026

after 1@cryptocompic.twitter.com/jz59LA61tF

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 8, 2026

PG in 10 minutes of action:

15 PTS | 6-9 FG 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hlrNxwDsFl

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 8, 2026

All the hard work the Sixers did to get a lead in the first quarter was undone in the second as the Knicks dominated the second quarter. New York pummeled the Sixers on the glass including pulling down 10 offensive rebounds in the first half. The Knicks won the period 33-21 to take a 60-52 lead into the halftime break.

at the half. @cryptocompic.twitter.com/VsZQwotNMZ

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 9, 2026

block ➡️ bucket. pic.twitter.com/AGZp2LOsH2

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 8, 2026

The Sixers couldn’t make up any ground in the third quarter. They generated a ton of open looks in the third quarter but missed the mark on a large sum of them. The Knicks got to the foul line at will and knocked down timely threes. The Knicks led 85-76 after three quarters. The Sixers had one quarter to try and save their season.

12 to battle. @cryptocompic.twitter.com/KE0pQeoPVm

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 9, 2026

rook on the loose! 💨 pic.twitter.com/mCOcYvV8rr

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 9, 2026

The Sixers continued to miss open look after open look in the fourth and the Knicks continued to stay the court and knock down shots when they could create good looks. Same story as the fourth quarter of Game 2. The Knicks would go on to win the game and take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Time for Bell Ringer.

Kelly Oubre: 22 points, 8 rebounds, 7-for-15 from the field

Oubre has played very well in this series despite constant criticism from the fan base. He has been one of the few Sixers that has showed up in a manner that was required for the Sixers to have a chance in this series. Oubre’s cutting has been his best attribute as he has played extremely well off the gravity of the Sixers’ stars.

The San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves split the first two games in San Antonio and it's still anyone's series.

But statistically, the winner of Game 3 goes on to win the series most of the time and as the conference semifinals shifted to Minnesota, it was the Spurs who took a 2-1 series advantage with a 115-108 win against the Timberwolves on Friday, May 8.

Each team's superstar put on a show.

Victor Wembanyama scored an efficient 39 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field, including three 3-pointers and 10-of-12 from the free throw line. He also pulled down 15 rebounds and blocked five shots and nabbed a steal in 37 minutes for San Antonio.

"I think we showed some strength, you know, during this game, some relentlessness," Wembanyama told reporters after the Spurs' win. "But we got to prove to ourselves that we can sustain that."

Wembanyama became the fourth player in NBA history with at least 35 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in a playoff game, joining Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon.

"It's good to be along with the big fellas," he said. "I had to resort to some things that Hakeem taught me in this fourth quarter, many things, but especially that spin fade away over Rudy (Gobert)."

Anthony Edwards carried the T-Wolves with 32 points on 12-of-26 shooting, including three 3-pointers and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Edwards added 14 rebounds, six assists and a blocked shot.

The Spurs, as a team, narrowly outshot the Wolves from distance, 36% to Minnesota's 35%. The Wolves outrebounded San Antonio, 54-48. It's been the Spurs who have dominated the inside, leading 46-38 in points in the paint.

"They got somebody who's 7-6 on the floor, and he takes up a lot of space. So just trying to, you know, figure out ways to find an open man around him, because in the paint he was just everywhere," Edwards told reporters postgame.

He added: "I feel like we did it. Had a good dose of that throughout the whole game, I think. I went in the locker room and told the guys like, we had a bunch of great looks. I feel like we had a bunch of great looks. And if we make our shots, we win this game."

The Spurs held a 15-point lead but the Timberwolves climbed their way back into it. In the end, San Antonio prevailed. The two meet in Game 4 on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Spurs vs. Wolves Game 3 highlights

Here's the Game 3 highlights between the Spurs and Wolves:

Victor Wembanyama stats vs. Timberwolves

• Points: 39
• FG: 13-for-18
• 3PT: 3-for-5
• Free Throws: 10-for-12
• Rebounds: 15
• Assists: 1
• Steals: 1
• Blocks: 5
• Turnovers: 1
• Fouls: 5
• Minutes: 37

Anthony Edwards stats vs. Spurs

• Points: 32
• FG: 12-for-26
• 3PT: 3-for-9
• Free Throws: 5-for-6
• Rebounds: 14
• Assists: 6
• Steals: 0
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 2
• Fouls: 5
• Minutes: 41

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards stats for Spurs-Timberwolves today

There have been a few times this season where bench players who were out of the rotation stepped up when called on, and in Game 3 against the 76ers, Landry Shamet delivered for the Knicks.

The guard led the Knicks' bench in scoring with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 2-for-3 from three. He was also a game-high plus-20 in the Knicks' 108-94 win, which gave them a commanding 3-0 series lead. 

"Landry hasn’t played a drop all playoffs," Knicks coach Mike Brown said after the win. "The first game, he was in the rotation, second game a little bit, and then he was out. Six, seven games that he hasn’t seen significant minutes on the court. Landry was huge for us tonight. Huge for us on both ends of the floor." 

With OG Anunoby out with a hamstring strain, Shamet was moved up in the rotation and was given big minutes. 

When the Sixers took a 31-27 lead after a physical first quarter, Shamet helped turn the tide. He began the second quarter with Karl-Anthony Towns as the only starter and was on the floor for most of the run that helped New York flip a 12-point deficit into a 12-point lead. 

"We talked about it the last few days. We knew they would," Shamet said of withstanding the Sixers' play early. "Coming back home down 2-0, you're going to have a sense of desperation. That was coach’s sentiment this week... They played really well, scored the ball really well early. We weren't as physical as we needed to be. Made a couple of adjustments and picked up our physicality and presence defensively, and it helped us." 

From the final minutes of the first quarter -- which saw Shamet hit a three to cut the Knicks' deficit to just four points -- and through the second, Shamet scored nine total points in a combined 13 minutes. 

"We needed a spark when they hit us in the mouth and Landry gave it to us," Brown said. "It was a big game on the road and it didn’t phase him. It was a lot of fun to watch."

On Friday, Shamet played 26 minutes. That's more than the first two games of this series (20). And while he received some minutes in the blowout wins against the Hawks in the first round, Game 3 against the Sixers was the most meaningful of Shamet's playoffs so far this season, and it's not easy. For a player who was once in the rotation to turn it on when the team needs them, especially in the postseason.

But the Knicks and coach Brown continued to show their faith in Shamet and others like Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado, who have seen their minutes go up and down this year, has paid off.

"As a coach, you love to see it. Sometimes you start Landry, sometimes you start [Mohammed Diawara]…at the end of the day, coming from me, that I have confidence in them," Brown said of players being ready. "Not only that, your number can be called at any time and you need to be ready. They’ve done a good job of keeping their mind and staying present in whatever we’re doing. It’s showing whenever they get the opportunity. It’s shown with Jordan, it’s shown with Jose and it’s shown with Landry...Just a fantastic job by Landry tonight."

"Landry is the ultimate professional," Josh Hart said of Shamet's play. "Being out of the rotation and giving us big minutes offensively and defensively."

"Just stay ready. Your number’s called, you just stay ready," Shamet said. "Felt good to be out there with my teammates. Felt good to get a win. We got one more in a matter of hours, really." 

With Anunoby's status for Game 4 on Sunday still unknown, Shamet could receive more opportunities. If Friday's win is any indication, Shamet will be ready if when needed.

In the first eight games of the playoffs, Landry Shamet scored 14 total points. 

He had 15 points Friday night. 

Talk about providing a needed boost. 

With OG Anunoby out due to a minor hamstring strain, Shamet was given a shot, and he took advantage. The veteran sharpshooter played a pivotal role coming off the bench, as the Knicks took a commanding 3-0 lead in this Eastern Conference semifinal series with a 108-94 victory over the 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

“You just stay ready,” he said. “It felt good, it felt good to get out there with my teammates, it felt good to get a win. We have one more.” 

Shamet was part of a blockbuster effort from the bench.

Mitchell Robinson delivered six points, six rebounds and a monster alley-oop slam over Joel Embiid. Jordan Clarkson (four points, five rebounds, three assists) and Jose Alvarado also contributed. 

Early in the fourth quarter, the Knicks reserves had amassed 25 points to the 76ers’ zero. The bench is one of the biggest areas of improvement with this team.

A year ago, the Knicks were overdependent on their starters, but team president Leon Rose built up the bench, adding Clarkson in the offseason and Alvarado in February. 

“As a coach, you love to see it, and that’s why you give different guys opportunities at different times,” coach Mike Brown said. “Sometimes, you start Landry. Sometimes, you start [Mohamed Diawara]. And what hopefully it shows at the end of the day coming from me is that I have confidence in them, and not only that, your number can be called any time, so be ready.” 

Shamet was the biggest star of this group. He had a strong regular season, averaging 9.3 points and shooting 39.2 percent from 3-point range in 51 games.

He was supposed to be a key part of the playoff rotation, but struggled early in the Hawks series. 

Then came the minor injury to Anunoby in Game 2. It gave Shamet a chance to assert himself. He didn’t miss that opportunity. He entered in the first quarter, and helped the Knicks stabilize the game after trailing by 12. He hit a big 3-pointer late in the third quarter that pushed the lead to nine. In his 26 minutes, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by 20 points. 

He even was on the floor in the final minutes as the Knicks moved to within one win of a return trip to the Eastern Conference finals. 

“We talk to him and give him his dap for what he does,” Mikal Bridges said of Shamet. “But that’s just a true professional.”

Heroes and zeros from the Knicks’ 108-94 Game 3 win over the 76ers on Friday night in Philly.

Hero

In the building he enjoyed so many memorable moments as a college star at Villanova, Jalen Brunson added another one. He was terrific after a slow start, finishing with 32 points and nine assists. Brunson also added five rebounds and scored eight fourth-quarter points.

With Karl-Anthony Towns limited due to foul trouble, Brunson’s best was needed, and he delivered it. 

Zero

Paul George started hot, then disappeared. The 76ers wing scored 15 first-quarter points, but zero the rest of the way. He was invisible when Philadelphia needed so much more out of the nine-time All-Star. 

Unsung Hero

That is now four straight strong playoff performances by Mikal Bridges. He helped shut down George after his hot start and continues to make shots, shooting 8-of-14 from the field and scoring 23 points.

Over the last four games, Bridges is averaging 20.5 points on an incredible 72.3 percent shooting. 

Key stat

25.8 – The Knicks’ average margin of victory during their current six-game playoff winning streak. 

Quote of the day

“They’re resilient, they’ve been through a lot as a veteran group, and it showed tonight,”

— Mike Brown as the Knicks rallied from an early 12-point deficit.