Payton Pritchard hit a shot for the ages in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks in 2024. | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s a moment in every championship season where you realize, “Oh, wow. They’re actually going to do it.”
Up until that point, you convince yourself that everything that can go wrong will and nothing is solidified, even if your team is dominating.
But once that clarity hits you, it yields an indescribable feeling of euphoria and pure bliss like no other for diehard fans.
In the Celtics’ 2024 title run, the legendary knockout blow belonged to Payton Pritchard. It’s the kind of shot you remember exactly where you were when it happened, and the one you reminisce about decades from now and describe vividly to your grandkids.
It was fitting that Pritchard was the one who hit the heave from beyond half court at the end of the first half of Game 5. it extended the lead to 21, and you knew at that point that the rest was simply a formality. The Celtics were back on top.
As ESPN announcer Mike Breen put it: “He loves these.” It probably should have elicited a double-bang, but we’ll let it slide. The shot speaks for itself.
Pritchard does love these. It’s such a legendary trait for a player to have: Master of buzzer-beaters. Like, how sick is that? Master screen setter, master offensive rebounder and master energizer are all nice, don’t get me wrong, but being so money on buzzer-beaters is pretty electric.
When Pritchard has the ball at the end of a quarter, you genuinely believe it’s going in every time and are surprised when it doesn’t. How does he do it?
Well, it’s a combination of awareness (timing is everything), an endless bag of tricks (just ask the kids at the park) and a fearlessness that defines his aura (he genuinely believes it’s going in every time, too).
Oh, and you have to be one heck of a shooter, which he most certainly is.
Look at this one from Thursday night at the end of the half. Look closely at where he starts, what he does and when he releases the shot. There are three Thunder defenders closing in, including Cason Wallace right in front of him, but it doesn’t matter. The timing is impeccable, and that comes from hours and hours of repetition and being a total gym rat. He earned the right to talk a little smack after that one.
Thinking a little bigger picture here, it’s interesting how Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are often the ones to take shots at the end of games. Logically, it makes sense. Give the ball to your two best players and let them create. But one could argue Pritchard should take a higher percentage of those shots than he does.
This season, Pritchard is shooting 45.5 percent from the floor, 50 percent from 3 and 100 percent from the line in the clutch. But he only attempts 0.8 shots per game in clutch situations, whereas Brown is up at 2.5 attempts. This is in no way a criticism of Brown, so don’t get it twisted; Pritchard has just earned the right to create for himself at the end of games.
Next time the game is on the line, look for Pritchard. There’s a good chance he’s going to hit it. They don’t call him Mr. Buzzer Beater for nothing.
INDIANAPOLIS — It’s hard to be surprised by Mitchell Robinson’s rebounding prowess at this point. It’s a recurring theme.
But even for him, this was a special performance.
He recorded a career-high 22 rebounds in the Knicks’ 101-92 win over the Pacers Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Nine of them were on the offensive glass.
Mitchell Robinson, who grabbed 22 rebounds, drives on Ivica Zubac during the Knicks’ 101-92 win over the Pacers on March 13, 2026 in Indianapolis. AP
Perhaps just as important, though, he played 31 minutes, his biggest workload of the season.
“It definitely feels good,” Robinson told The Post. “First time playing 30 minutes. Just getting out there and playing like that, to see the buildup, all the hard work I put in with this plan.”
Robinson has already played more games than either of the past two seasons. The Knicks’ load management plan for him — not playing both legs of back-to-backs, and at times sitting non back-to-back games — has clearly worked, even it’s been frustrating at times.
His workloads are only increasing. That’s a good development for the Knicks heading into the playoffs.
“It’s obviously shown that it’s paid off,” coach Mike Brown told The Post, “because of his ability to, knock on wood, stay on the floor and play in games and play the minutes he played tonight.”
Beyond Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns both missing Friday’s game due to knee soreness, Jeremy Sochan was out due to illness.
Pacome Dadiet, with the Knicks shorthanded, got very rare non-blowout minutes. In fact, Dadiet, along with Ariel Hukporti, came in together as Brown’s first subs of the game in the first quarter.
Dadiet promptly drilled a 30-foot 3-pointer from the logo as the shot clock expired in the first quarter. He also got a brief stretch of action in the third quarter.
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders host the Calgary Flames after Emil Heineman scored two goals in the Islanders' 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.
New York is 37-24-5 overall and 17-11-2 in home games. The Islanders have a +six scoring differential, with 190 total goals scored and 184 allowed.
Calgary is 26-32-7 overall and 10-20-3 in road games. The Flames are 19-7-3 when scoring three or more goals.
Saturday's game is the second time these teams meet this season. The Flames won 4-2 in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mathew Barzal has scored 18 goals with 42 assists for the Islanders. Anthony DeAngelo has one goal and six assists over the past 10 games.
Morgan Frost has 14 goals and 18 assists for the Flames. MacKenzie Weegar has five assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Islanders: 7-3-0, averaging 3.3 goals, five assists, 2.4 penalties and 4.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Flames: 4-5-1, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.3 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
INJURIES: Islanders: None listed.
Flames: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
PERTH, Australia (AP) — Defending champion China beat Taiwan 2-0 at the Women’s Asian Cup on Saturday to set up a semifinal against host Australia and clinch a place at the 2027 Women's World Cup.
After 90 minutes ended goalless in a match between opponents with geopolitical tensions, Shao Ziqin broke the deadlock three minutes into extra time before a late own goal sealed the win.
“I’m so happy we won the match today and that I was able to score a goal,” Shao said.
On Friday, Sam Kerr scored one goal and created another as Australia advanced and secured a World Cup spot with a 2-1 win over North Korea.
In Sydney on Saturday, South Korea moved into the last four with a 6-0 rout of Uzbekistan. Son Hwa-yeon opened the scoring for the 2022 finalist after just nine minutes and Ko Yoo-jin fired home from outside the area in the 20th. Four second-half goals completed the thrashing.
South Korea will face the winner of Sunday’s game between Japan and the Philippines. Japan has scored a tournament-leading 17 goals without conceding.
The semifinals are set for Tuesday and Wednesday with the final to be played next Saturday in Sydney.
World Cup spots
All four semifinalists at the Women's Asian Cup qualify automatically for next year's World Cup in Brazil.
The losing quarterfinalists will have another shot at qualifying for the World Cup in a playoff next Thursday in Australia — the fifth- and sixth-place teams in this continental tournament will also secure spots in Brazil.
The end of the group stage earlier in the week was overshadowed by Iran's departure from the tournament and the granting of asylum to members of the delegation.
Steve Borthwick must throw off the shackles in Paris to inject some attacking energy into his far-too predictable side
The inquest into England’s Six Nations campaign has already started and when that is the case before the championship has even finished it is never a good sign. Everyone has their own opinions on what is wrong and I’m sure that is the same within the squad too. When you are on runs like England are, different players come up with different reasons for their problems and different fixes – and that makes the situation all the more difficult.
If there is one thing holding England back it is their gameplan. I don’t say that as a reaction to these three defeats, I felt that they stagnated during the autumn and tightened things up despite chalking up four victories. The best illustration I can give is the 2024 tournament. England had lost to Scotland, went to York in the fallow week, contrived to throw off the shackles in attack and it paid immediate dividends.
Golden State Warriors (32-34, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (43-25, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Sunday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Golden State aims to end its four-game skid with a victory against New York.
The Knicks have gone 23-9 at home. New York ranks eighth in the league with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Karl-Anthony Towns averaging 8.8.
The Warriors are 13-19 in road games. Golden State has a 4-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Knicks score 117.0 points per game, 2.6 more points than the 114.4 the Warriors allow. The Warriors are shooting 45.8% from the field, 0.2% higher than the 45.6% the Knicks' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 16 the Warriors won 126-113 led by 32 points from Jimmy Butler III, while Miles McBride scored 25 points for the Knicks.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Brunson is scoring 26.3 points per game with 3.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 18.8 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 53.3% over the last 10 games.
Quinten Post is averaging 7.6 points for the Warriors. Brandin Podziemski is averaging 17.5 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 43.9% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 113.8 points, 47.9 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 7.9 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.2 points per game.
Warriors: 3-7, averaging 114.1 points, 45.8 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.8 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Josh Hart: day to day (knee), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (knee), Miles McBride: out (ankle), Jeremy Sochan: day to day (illness).
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Al Horford: day to day (calf), Quinten Post: day to day (ankle), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Moses Moody: out (wrist), Draymond Green: out (injury management).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (48-18, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (37-29, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Toronto; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit will attempt to prolong its three-game win streak with a victory over Toronto.
The Raptors are 27-16 in Eastern Conference games. Toronto is the top team in the Eastern Conference with 18.8 fast break points led by RJ Barrett averaging 3.8.
The Pistons are 32-10 in conference games. Detroit ranks third in the league allowing just 109.6 points while holding opponents to 44.1% shooting.
The Raptors make 47.3% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.2 percentage points higher than the Pistons have allowed to their opponents (44.1%). The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field, 1.6% higher than the 46.4% the Raptors' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Pistons won 113-95 in the last matchup on Feb. 12.
TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is averaging 18.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. Brandon Ingram is averaging 20.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists over the past 10 games.
Cade Cunningham is scoring 24.7 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 10.1 assists for the Pistons. Jalen Duren is averaging 22.0 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 65.4% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 4-6, averaging 112.6 points, 39.1 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points per game.
Pistons: 6-4, averaging 117.7 points, 46.0 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 10.3 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points.
INJURIES: Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).
Pistons: Ausar Thompson: day to day (ankle), Tobias Harris: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Max Shabanov, in what amounted to a significant understatement, called it “a little bit unusual” to have gone five weeks without playing in a game.
Granted, that layoff was in large part due to the Olympic break, but the nine straight healthy scratches Shabanov endured before returning to the lineup for Tuesday’s win over the Blues amounted to an obvious signal that the Russian rookie needs to do more to be in the Islanders’ lineup down the stretch following the additions of Ondrej Palat and Brayden Schenn.
He’s getting his chance to prove he deserves more playing time now, with a second straight game on the fourth line in Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Kings after coach Patrick Roy seemed happy with his game in St. Louis.
“Just keep working,” Shabanov said, with goaltending coach Sergejs Naumovs acting as the interpreter Friday morning, his first time addressing reporters in nearly four months. “Stay positive. Try to get out of yourself the best you can do on the ice. Just be patient.”
Roy was happy enough with Shabanov’s play Friday to move him up to the second line by the end of the game when, he said, he was looking for more skill in his top six.
Dylan Holloway shoots and scores as Max Shabanov defends during the Islanders’ win overt the Blues on March 10, 2026. Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Shabanov’s name had been prominent in trade rumors leading up to the deadline last week, as it seemed he may not have a clear place in the Islanders’ plans.
It’s not clear whether a move was ever close to materializing, but both Shabanov and the Islanders need to take the rest of the season and figure out whether there’s a longer-term fit in New York.
If not, Shabanov likely will be on the block this summer, when he’s set to be a restricted free agent.
“I try to stay away, not reading anything,” Shabanov said of the rumors. “Just to stay focused on practicing. Be capable to be back any time in the lineup and be helpful for the team. So it’s not my job to follow the news. Nothing I can do, nothing I control about it. Control what I can control.”
In 42 games this year, Shabanov has proven a skilled player and put up a solid 16 points. But the physical adjustment to the NHL — expected to be a process given Shabanov is 5-foot-9, 167 pounds — has indeed proven tough.
“Everything is different from the KHL,” Shabanov said. “Technically, tactically, game-wise. Pretty much everything is new.”
Friday was the Islanders’ 13th straight sellout, their longest streak since they opened UBS Arena with 19 in a row.
Matthew Schaefer set a career-high in time on ice, finishing with 29:24.
Though this is a short homestand, with a three-game trip to Canada following Saturday’s match against the Flames, 12 of the Islanders’ last 18 games are at UBS.
Fresh off a loss to the Denver Nuggets, the San Antonio Spurs will look to get back on track against the red-hot Charlotte Hornets. The Spurs have added another key player to the injury report in what could be an all-hands-on-deck type of game.
Victor Wembanyama missed San Antonio’s last game due to an ankle injury. It’s not expected to be serious, and he’s cutting incredibly close to not hitting the 65 games played qualification for end-of-season awards. Bets are on the big man playing, but he’s officially questionable against Charlotte. Dylan Harper is also on the injury report with a calf contusion. We’ll see if the Spurs guard suits up before tomorrow’s matinee.
The Spurs dropped their previous meeting with Charlotte this season, 111-106. That game came on short rest and was a day game on the road. Both teams have been hot ever since the game. The Spurs have won 16 of their last 18, while the Hornets are 8-2 in their last 10.
San Antonio may have to rely on its depth to take down the plucky Hornets. A weekend win would be just what the team needs to remain confident after a tough loss to Denver early in the week.
Spurs Injuries: Dylan Harper – Questionable (calf), Victor Wembanyama – Questionable (ankle), Harrison Ingram – Questionable (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Out (G League), Emanuel Miller – Questionable (G League)
Hornets Injuries: PJ Hall – Out (G League), Ryan Kalkbrenner – Probable (illness), Liam McNeeley – Out (ankle), Antonio Reeves – Out (G League), Tidjane Salaun – Out (calf), Coby White – Probable (heel)
What to watch for:
Defending the three
The Hornets may be developing the new Splash Brothers. Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball are first and third in total three-pointers made this season. Brandon Miller is shooting threes at a 37.9% clip. Charlotte has a lot of players who can bury you from deep. The Spurs have struggled a bit against teams that can space them out. San Antonio will have to force Charlotte’s shooters into tough looks to keep pace on Saturday.
Castle keeps it going
Stephon Castle has been stellar since the All-Star break. He’s averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists while hitting 40.5% of his three-pointers. He’s coming off a 30-point triple-double against Denver on Thursday night. Castle should have the physical and athletic advantage against many of the Hornets’ perimeter defenders. If he continues to hit his threes, he should be able to punish Charlotte inside and out.
The big man rotation
If Wembanyama misses another game, it will be interesting to see how Mitch Johnson distributes minutes among his big men. Against Denver, he started Luke Kornet but played him only 25 minutes, while giving the newly acquired center Mason Plumlee 8 minutes. In the other 15 minutes, the Spurs went small, using Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, and Carter Bryant as small-ball centers. If they did that against Nikola Jokic with some success, they surely could do the same against Charlotte. Wembanyama seems likely to play, but if he doesn’t, a small-ball approach could help the Spurs keep up with the Hornets’ perimeter-oriented attack.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Magoon Gwath had 17 points and BJ Davis made a layup with two seconds left to rally San Diego State to a 64-62 victory over New Mexico on Friday night in a Mountain West Conference Tournament semifinal.
No. 2 seed San Diego State (22-10) will play top seed Utah State in Saturday's championship game with an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Gwath made 6 of 10 shots with two 3-pointers and 3 of 5 free throws for the Aztecs, adding six rebounds and two blocks. Davis totaled 12 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Deyton Albury scored 20 on 7-for-10 shooting to pace the third-seeded Lobos (23-10). Uriah Tenette had 11 points and Tomisla Buljan grabbed 10 rebounds to go with eight points.
Gwath had 10 points in the first half to help San Diego State take a 37-33 lead into intermission. Albury scored four straight points to pull New Mexico even at 62-all with 25 seconds remaining before Davis delivered the winner.
Minott turned in a career night, and flashed the kind of athleticism and force from the wing position that Brooklyn has so sorely lacked — and that fans have called for.
He had 24 points, shot 4-of-7 from deep and 8-of-10 from the foul line. And predictably, he was even better on the other end of the floor, with three blocks and three steals. The points, 3s, free throws and steals all set or tied career bests.
It was a statement for Minott, who has played sparingly since being acquired from Boston on Feb. 5.
“I’ve been waiting on it,” Minott, 23, said of a breakout night. “But at the end of the day, I’m not going to call it pointless — but it’s one goal. So overall, I don’t want to say satisfied, but I’m pretty happy with my performance. But at the end of the day, it’s about getting numbers in the right column.”
Wins will be few and far between for tanking Brooklyn. But they’ll use the stretch run to mine the back end of their roster. There are two-ways to evaluate. Ten-day contracts like newcomer Malachi Smith to assess. And team options to decide on.
Such as Minott.
Josh Minott shoots a free throw during his 24-point night in the Nets’ loss to the Hawks on March 12, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
His six stocks — combined blocks and steals — on Thursday tied Nic Claxton’s Dec. 29 effort as the most by a Net this season. Minott’s near 7-foot wingspan lets him disrupt passing lanes and his athleticism allows him to attack the rim.
“Yeah, he had (a dunk) against the Celtics that was very impressive, and he had one the other day (vs. Detroit). Obviously I didn’t teach him to do that,” joked Jordi Fernández. “What you see is how quick he gets there and you’re like, ‘Oh wow, he’s going to do it.’ And he does it. And everybody’s reaction is pretty cool.
“So, (I’m) excited for him. … The thing that stood out is we’re asking him to pressure the ball, to pick up full court, and he did an amazing job. He’s trying to do everything we ask him to. You see the size. He’s going to let it fly. Those things are positive. So I’m excited to watch him play.”
Josh Minott shoots a jumper during the Nets’ loss to the Hawks. NBAE via Getty Images
Minott began the season in the Celtics’ rotation only to see an ankle injury cost him five weeks and momentum in Boston.
After the Nets got him for cash at the trade deadline — $110,000, sources told the Post — and he spent time settling in, now injuries could open the door for Minott in Brooklyn. Day’Ron Sharpe is out for the season, Ziaire Williams has been sick, and there are minutes to be had. Minott made the most of his against the Hawks.
“(It was) just teammates finding me on my cuts when I was open. I owe basically everything to them. I didn’t really do anything that didn’t involve them finding me. So I’d say that’s kind of just what happened,” said Minott.
“Just trying to keep the same rhythm. I understand that they had a rhythm before me, and just not trying to ruin that. I’m just trying to come in, just find a way I can affect the game and just trying to uphold the team and lift the team and its values.”
Fernáandez added “Yeah, it was great. He was aggressive. … He is (a rebounder), he provides size, so good job.”
Grant Nelson, who saw his 10-day expire, returns to Long Island. But sources told The Post he’ll miss the rest of the G-League season with patellar tendinitis. It likely explains why he didn’t get another 10-day after acquitting himself well.
Brooklyn agreed to a 10-day with Smith, per Hoopshype. He averaged 14.4 points, 5.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds with Long Island, shooting 42 percent from 3.
Claxton (rest) and Drake Powell (left knee injury management) are out for the Nets Saturday, while Sharpe and Egor Dëmin are out for the season. Michael Porter Jr. is doubtful vs. the 76ers with a sprained right ankle and Ochai Agbaji (sore left ankle) is probable.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dominique Daniels Jr. scored 41 points to lead California Baptist to an 86-72 victory over Utah Tech on Friday night in a Western Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal.
No. 2 seed Cal Baptist (24-8) will play top seed Utah Valley in the championship game on Saturday with an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament up for grabs.
Daniels sank 15 of 23 shots with four 3-pointers and 7 of 9 free throws for the Lancers. Jayden Jackson made five 3-pointers and scored 19.
Ethan Potter scored 25 on 11-for-15 shooting to lead the third-seeded Trailblazers (19-15). Jusaun Holt totaled 16 points and five assists, while Chance Trujillo scored 15 off the bench, sinking three 3-pointers.
Potter had 14 points at halftime to help Utah Tech take a slim 36-35 lead. Daniels scored 26 in the second half and Jackson added 11 points as the Lancers outscored the Trailblazers 51-36 to pull out the victory.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 13: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to the media after the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 13, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After three straight blowout losses, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally found a little relief Friday night in the Bay Area. And the timing couldn’t have been better.
Minnesota entered the third game of its four-game road trip reeling. The defense had vanished. The offense had turned into a bricklaying contest. The Clippers had just hung 153 points on them two nights earlier, which is the basketball equivalent of getting your lunch money taken and your backpack stolen.
So when the Wolves arrived in San Francisco and saw the Warriors’ injury report with Steph Curry out, Draymond Green out, Jimmy Butler still out for the season, it felt like the basketball gods had quietly slid a “get-right game” across the table.
To their credit, Minnesota mostly took advantage. Led by Anthony Edwards’ 42 points, the Wolves finally stopped the bleeding with a 127–117 win, snapping the three-game skid and giving themselves a much-needed reset after what had been an ugly week.
It wasn’t perfect. In fact, there were several stretches where the Wolves looked dangerously close to falling back into their bad habits, but compared to the previous three games, this was practically a therapy session.
First Quarter: Energy Returns, Old Habits Lurk
Right from the opening tip, you could tell Minnesota had a little more urgency.
Donte DiVincenzo opened the scoring with five quick points, setting the tone early. The Wolves were moving the ball and, most importantly, not committing turnovers like they had against the Clippers.
Meanwhile Rudy Gobert was doing what Rudy Gobert does best: owning the paint. Gobert grabbed rebounds, finished second-chance opportunities, and even knocked down four straight free throws to start the night. When Gobert is confidently hitting free throws early in a game, it’s an excellent omen.
Julius Randle also came out with some extra juice, attacking the rim and scoring six early points against a Warriors team he had bullied during last year’s playoff run. Five minutes into the game, Minnesota held a 15–12 lead and things felt… stable.
Then the Wolves briefly remembered they were the Wolves. Golden State began slipping into the paint, piling up points in the paint and second-chance points, eventually flipping the score to an 18–15 Warriors lead.
To this point, Anthony Edwards had been quiet early, but that silence didn’t last long. With four minutes remaining in the quarter, Ant drained a three to tie the game 21–21, then immediately went into takeover mode, scoring nine straight points and pushing Minnesota ahead 27–23.
By the end of the first quarter, the Wolves held a 31–28 lead. The encouraging signs? Minnesota had only one turnover, and they were 11-for-12 from the free throw line. Compared to the Clippers game, that first quarter alone felt like a different team.
Second Quarter: The Wolves Finally Blow the Door Open
The real turning point came in the second quarter when Minnesota’s bench delivered a surge of offense. Ayo Dosunmu, Bones Highland, and Naz Reid all contributed during a stretch where the Wolves slowly but decisively started pulling away. By the time the dust settled, Minnesota had pushed the lead to 44–37.
The main catalyst was Bones Highland. Highland caught fire offensively, scoring 11 points during that stretch, giving the Wolves the kind of secondary scoring they desperately needed after Edwards carried so much of the load in recent games.
As the offense started flowing, the defense followed. Minnesota began stacking stops, something that had been nearly impossible to find over the previous thirteen quarters of basketball. With Gobert and Randle punishing the Warriors inside, the Wolves opened up a 54–39 lead.
From there, the avalanche came quickly, and by halftime, Minnesota had outscored Golden State 38–20 in the second quarter and built a commanding 69–48 lead. Anthony Edwards already had 20 points at the break, and it was pretty clear he wasn’t done yet.
Third Quarter: Comfort Sets In… and the Wolves Get Sloppy
The second half began exactly the way Minnesota hoped. Edwards opened the third quarter with four quick points, pushing the lead to 73–48 and giving the Wolves their largest advantage of the night.
And then… the Wolves got comfortable. You know the feeling. When a team starts playing like they’ve already checked the final score on their phone.
Golden State seized the opportunity. Brandin Podziemski drilled two three-pointers, trimming the lead to 73–54. He kept pushing the pace alongside Kristaps Porzingis, shrinking the lead to 77–61.
To Minnesota’s credit, they responded again. During the middle portion of the third quarter, Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu powered the offense. Beyond his own scoring, Dosunmu repeatedly found Gobert for easy finishes near the rim, helping extend the lead back to 94–71.
But the complacency crept back in. Turnovers returned. Defensive rotations slowed. Golden State started finding easier looks. By the end of the quarter, the once-comfortable margin had shrunk to 100–87. Edwards had already piled up 32 points, but the Wolves had once again left the door open.
Fourth Quarter: McDaniels and Edwards Slam the Door
When the fourth quarter began, things got a little uncomfortable. Golden State quickly cut the lead to 100–90, and suddenly the Wolves’ earlier dominance felt a lot less secure.
Enter Jaden McDaniels. McDaniels opened the quarter with the first seven points for Minnesota, single-handedly stabilizing the game and pushing the lead back to 107–92.
But the Warriors weren’t finished. Podziemski continued attacking, scoring multiple buckets and helping cut Minnesota’s lead to nine points. Then a Wolves turnover led to a transition basket that brought Golden State within seven.
Just like that, what had once been a 25-point lead felt shaky again.
Minnesota eventually steadied itself, but halfway through the fourth quarter it remained a 10-point game. Edwards and Podziemski traded threes to push the score to 118–108, and then both offenses suddenly went ice cold, missing several open looks from deep.
Golden State got as close as 122–113 after a Podziemski layup, and that’s when Anthony Edwards decided he’d seen enough. Ant attacked again, scoring his 40th point of the night to push the lead to 124–113 and effectively close the door with the clock dwingling.
Edwards would finish with 42 as Minnesota notched their first victory in over a week, 127-117.
A Win… But Finch Isn’t Celebrating
After the game, Chris Finch didn’t exactly sound like a coach who had just watched his team rediscover greatness. Instead, he pointed out something Wolves fans have been noticing all year.
Minnesota still struggles to maintain urgency. Even with a 21-point halftime lead, the Wolves drifted into bad habits: sloppy turnovers, inconsistent defense, and stretches where the focus simply vanished.
Finch called that carelessness part of the team’s “DNA”, which is both honest and slightly terrifying if you’re thinking about playoff basketball.
Because championship teams don’t just win games.
They finish them.
A Step in the Right Direction
Still, context matters. After the week Minnesota just endured, any win would have been welcome.
The Wolves took advantage of a depleted Warriors roster, built a massive second-quarter lead, and leaned on Anthony Edwards’ brilliance when things tightened late. It wasn’t flawless, but it was progress. For a team searching for its identity again, sometimes the first step is simply stopping the slide.
For the Wolves, the next test arrives quickly. Oklahoma City awaits on Sunday, and if the Wolves want to take a third of four games from the defending champions, they’ll need a far sharper performance than what we saw Friday night.
Still, after the chaos of the past week, Minnesota finally has something it didn’t have a few days ago.
Momentum.
Even if it’s just the first small step on a long climb back.
Minnesota Timberwolves (40-26, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-15, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City comes into a matchup against Minnesota as winners of seven straight games.
The Thunder are 10-3 against the rest of their division. Oklahoma City averages 118.6 points and has outscored opponents by 10.8 points per game.
The Timberwolves are 8-5 in division games. Minnesota is fifth in the NBA scoring 118.6 points per game while shooting 48.4%.
The Thunder average 118.6 points per game, 3.5 more points than the 115.1 the Timberwolves give up. The Timberwolves average 13.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Thunder give up.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 123-111 on Jan. 30. Anthony Edwards scored 26 points to help lead the Timberwolves to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points and 6.6 assists for the Thunder. Jaylin Williams is averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Edwards is averaging 29.4 points and 3.7 assists for the Timberwolves. Julius Randle is averaging 14.1 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 9-1, averaging 113.6 points, 43.9 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.
Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 112.3 points, 41.7 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.2 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Branden Carlson: day to day (back), Jalen Williams: day to day (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Isaiah Hartenstein: day to day (calf).
Timberwolves: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles hosts the Sacramento Kings after Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points in the Los Angeles Clippers' 153-128 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Clippers are 8-5 against Pacific Division opponents. Los Angeles is 6-8 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Kings are 10-34 in Western Conference play. Sacramento is eighth in the Western Conference with 11.2 offensive rebounds per game led by Domantas Sabonis averaging 3.4.
The Clippers average 113.4 points per game, 7.5 fewer points than the 120.9 the Kings give up. The Kings are shooting 46.3% from the field, 0.4% lower than the 46.7% the Clippers' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last meeting on Feb. 7 the Clippers won 114-111 led by 31 points from Leonard, while Malik Monk scored 18 points for the Kings.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bennedict Mathurin is scoring 18.3 points per game and averaging 5.6 rebounds for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 27.5 points and 5.7 rebounds over the last 10 games.
DeMar DeRozan is averaging 18.4 points and 3.9 assists for the Kings. Russell Westbrook is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 6-4, averaging 121.4 points, 41.2 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 10.2 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.7 points per game.
Kings: 4-6, averaging 115.1 points, 44.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.3 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Darius Garland: out (toe), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), John Collins: out (arm).
Kings: Malik Monk: day to day (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), Devin Carter: day to day (calf), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
