PHILADELPHIA — 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.
Embiid’s return from an appendectomy helped spur the Sixers’ rally from a 3-1 deficit in the opening round to stun the Celtics.
Beating the Knicks four straight times — including twice in New York — seems like a much harder hill to climb for Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 22 points and Maxey added 17.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 08: Starting pitcher Kyle Bradish #38 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on after hitting Jeff McNeil #22 of the Athletics with a pitch during the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 8, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Two things have been true about the Orioles this season: their defense is terrible, and they can’t hit lefties. Both of these issues were front and center in tonight’s loss to the Athletics. Starting pitcher Kyle Bradish was as good as he’s looked all year, but the offense managed just four hits against the A’s pitching staff. The end result, a 4-3 loss, is the Orioles’ seventh in their last nine games.
Bradish breezed through the first four innings. Three of those four innings were of the 1-2-3 variety. In the third, he hit a batter and allowed an infield single. Through four, Bradish had struck out six batters.
The only problem through four innings was that the A’s pitcher, Jacob Lopez, was giving the Orioles batters as tough a time as Bradish was giving the A’s. It was frustrating to watch as Lopez came into the game with a 6.60 ERA. The first inning started off in a promising way when Lopez walked Gunnar Henderson and gave up a single to Adley Rutschman. But with runners on the corners, neither Pete Alonso nor Tyler O’Neill could bring in a run.
The Orioles remembered that they do not hit lefties. Starting with the first-inning Alonso pop-out, Lopez retired nine straight. But when Alonso came back up in the fourth, he did not miss. On a first-pitch change up, Alonso went to the opposite field with a 107 mph laser. It just snuck inside the out of town scoreboard for his 8th home run of the year. The Orioles were up, 1-0. The lead did not last very long.
In the fifth, Bradish stumbled a little. And that, combined with the previously mentioned bad defense, was enough to put the Orioles in a hole. Jacob Wilson started the inning with a ground ball hit just 78.8 mph up the first base line. Alonso was playing well off the line and managed to get a glove on it with a diving stop, but couldn’t come up with the ball.
Ok, no big deal. Bradish has been dealing after all. The next batter, Lawrence Butler, hit another soft ball that fell into left field for another single. It was then that the defense decided to rear its ugly head. Manager Craig Albernaz called for the corners to play in to defend against the bunt. But the A’s did not bunt and Zach Gelof grounded a ball past Gunnar Henderson, who had been moving towards third base on the pitch.
That play tied the game and left runners on first and second for Jeff McNeil. McNeil grounded a ball up the middle, right to where Henderson was playing. It looked like an easy double play ball, but the ball kicked off the heel of his glove. Jeremiah Jackson grabbed the deflected ball and got the out at first, but the runners moved up to second and third.
That brought Nick Kurtz to the plate, and finally Bradish gave up a hard hit. Kurtz lined a ball into the right field corner, where it rattled around a bit. Tyler O’Neill chased it down in what I wouldn’t call an efficient manner. Kurtz landed on third base with both runners knocked in. The A’s were up, 3-1.
After the fifth inning, Bradish went right back to dominating. He struck out two more in the sixth inning and worked around a two-out walk. His final inning, the seventh, was 1-2-3. Bradish struck out one more to finish the night with double digits. His final pitching line: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 10 K. I think with better defensive decisions and performance behind him, he would have allowed just one run.
Two runs down wasn’t that many, and Adley Rutschman got one back with a home run into the bullpen. His fifth homer of the year was a beaut, hit 100.9 mph off the bat. It landed 401 feet later in Yennier Cano’s glove. That cut the lead to one and drove Lopez out of the game. The Orioles got to him for just three hits and two walks, though two of those hits were homers. I had hoped for more against this pitcher.
With that, the game was turned over to the bullpens, and once again, the A’s prevailed.
For the Orioles, Trey Gibson came out of the ’pen. Gibson was just called up today when Cade Povich was placed on the injured list. He started the eighth inning and was greeted by Shea Langoliers, who smoked a ball to left field for a single. Gibson then induced a groundout back to himself. But he made a low throw to second base, which kept Henderson from being able to get the ball to first for the double play.
Brent Rooker followed with another hard hit single, then Gibson got a fly ball out and was one out from getting out of it. But Jacob Wilson slapped a ball to the right side that the diving Alonso couldn’t get. That drove in a run to make the score 4-2. Gibson followed with a scoreless ninth.
The A’s bullpen has been below average this year, but just like with Jacob Lopez, you’d never know watching tonight. Justin Sterner, and Scott Barlow followed Lopez with 2.2 perfect innings, which brought us to the bottom of the ninth. Jack Perkins was on to try for the save, scheduled to face Rutschman, Alonso, and O’Neill.
Adley continued to do Adley things. He worked a five-pitch walk. Unfortunately, Alonso did not do Alonso things. He struck out swinging. Dylan Beavers came on to pinch-hit for O’Neill and also struck out, with Rutschman moving up to second base on defensive indifference.
The Orioles were down to their final out with Samuel Basallo coming to the plate. Basallo hadn’t started the game, but pinch-hit for DH Coby Mayo in the seventh. He had a great at-bat, battling some before sending a ball back up the middle for an RBI single. Leody Taveras walked to put the winning run on base, but Jeremiah Jackson couldn’t come through.
It was an exciting ending, but a loss all the same. Orioles lose, 4-3. These two teams are back in action tomorrow at 4 p.m. with Shane Baz facing off against Aaron Civale.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 7: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round Two Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 7, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder shifts to LA, where Game 3 will be held on Saturday. The purple and gold aim to protect homecourt by finally getting a win over the Thunder.
Despite a stronger all-around performance from Austin Reaves and a better overall effort to match the Thunder’s pace and style of play in Game 2, the Lakers once again failed to steal a win on the road. They came into Game 2 with a couple of solutions, but those were wiped out by more problems the Thunder presented.
Now down 2-0 in the series, time is ticking for Los Angeles to figure it all out.
The good news for the purple and gold is that they’re back home for Game 3, where they’ll look to capitalize on home court and fight their way back into the series.
Match the Thunder’s depth
Putting aside all the talk about the officiating in this series, OKC has established that they simply have better depth than the Lakers.
Look at how the Thunder stepped up last game when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was off the floor. They went on a 32-14 run, led by Chet Holmgren, Jared McCain and Ajay Mitchell, who overwhelmed the Lakers. That can’t happen in Game 3 if the Lakers hope to win.
Luke Kennard on what the Lakers need to do in the non-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander minutes, which they've lost by a combined 22 points across 33 minutes in Game 1 and Game 2:
"We need to up our physicality. Obviously, we've been putting the 2 guys on Shai a lot. And kind of let some… pic.twitter.com/csR0IhMv0m
If anything, it’s Los Angeles’ role players that badly need to step up. What if Luke Kennard gets more than a total of five attempts from the field? How about more opportunities for Rui Hachimura, who has by far been the most consistent role player in this series? Can the Lakers shoot better in Los Angeles? Hopefully the supporting cast puts together their best performance yet.
Control the controllable
In my preview for Game 2, I mentioned that the Lakers have to do a better job of rebounding and preventing second-chance opportunities. That absolutely didn’t happen, as OKC produced 17 second-chance points and, worse, took advantage of the Lakers’ 21 turnovers, which led to 14 fastbreak points. This was where the Lakers lost the game.
By now, the Lakers know the Thunder are the kind of elite team that makes opponents pay for their mistakes. Even the thinnest of errors can be so impactful in determining the outcome of this one.
Deal with “physicality”
For as much as I’d like to blast how the officiating has been so far in this series, akin to what JJ Redick and Austin Reaves did, it feels moot at this point because it’s not like that will change anything. The Lakers simply have to adjust to how the game is being officiated.
The worst possible scenario here is to continue getting worked up on these calls to the point that it significantly affects their performance on the court.
So, with a tall task ahead of them, let’s see whether or not the Lakers can make it a series on Saturday.
Notes and Updates
For the Lakers’ injury report, Jarred Vanderbilt (right finger dislocation) has been upgraded to questionable, and Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) remains out.
As for the Thunder, Jalen Williams (left hamstring strain) and Thomas Sorber (ACL surgery recovery) will not suit up.
May 8, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early (71) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Let’s do a little dive into what I think was the most important frame of the entire ballgame.
Top of the third inning, things could have gone off the rails and fast. Nick Fortes leads off with an infield single—advancing to second on a balk by Connelly Early. Taylor Walls loops a single to left field on a pitch that leaks a little back towards the middle of the plate with some cut, and Yandy Diaz gets hit on a back foot curve to load the bases.
This could have been absolute chaos.
Early said no way. Ryan Vilade, sit back down on a nice strikeout to settle things down a hair. Junior Caminero then saved Boston’s skin. First pitch, bounding bouncer to Caleb Durbin: 5-4-3 double play. The Rays frankly didn’t threaten any other time in this ballgame.
Not only did this cool off Connelly Early, it completely changed his tempo. He dialed in and got six more strikeouts after that—eight total—and ate his way through seven frames.
You don’t need a ton of offense when your starter dominates like he did. Better rebound start for him and a nice Friday night win for the Red Sox.
Studs
Connelly Early (7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
Nuff said above. This was an absolutely stellar start for Early.
Ceddanne Rafaela (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 R)
What a needed homer for Rafaela and a good game for the center fielder overall.
Wilyer Abreu (1-f0r-2, 1 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB)
Wilyer’s deadlock breaking solo shot is the longest home run of his career at 427 feet. Working two walks showcases how big a threat Abreu is at the dish.
Aroldis Chapman (1.0 IP, 2 K)
…how is he still this good? Did he drink the Tom Brady defy father time juice?
Duds
Masataka Yoshida (0-for-4)
Just an eh day but it happens! I’m starting to find a warm spot for Masa again.
Trevor Story (0-for-3, 3 Ks)
The hat trick of strikeouts drops Story’s season batting average to .199, and that’s a big yikes for this lineup.
Mar 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) hits a single against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Freddie Freeman gauntlet weekend begins. Some lineup shuffling against tough lefty Chris Sale.
DENVER, CO - MAY 02: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are about the face the biggest test of the season as they taking on the might Los Angeles Dodgers in a road game after losing their first series of the season and getting an off day.
Chris Sale will be taking the mound. Can we talk about how crazy it is that he gave up six earned runs in 4.0 innings in a game, yet still has a pristine ERA of 2.14? He has had one poor outing and every single other one he has been one of the best pitchers on planet Earth. He will be facing Emmet Sheehan, who is not exactly performing like he did last season. Sheehan currently has an ERA of 5.23 ERA. His expected ERA (xERA) of 4.31 is better than his on-field ERA, but it does give the Braves offense some hope. It also should be noted that the Braves are second in all of MLB in balls hit 95.0 MPH or higher and hard-hit rate is Sheehan’s biggest weakness.
Let’s keep up with the game together in the comments.
Get your caffeine ready as the game starts at 10:10 EDT
The Knicks took the 76ers' best shot early and turned a tight game into another comfortable victory in their 108-94 win over the Sixers in Game 3 on Friday night.
Here are the takeaways...
- The Sixers got off to a fast start, as Karl-Anthony Towns tipped the opening tip toward his own basket, where Kelly Oubre was waiting and he made an easy layup and turned it into a 9-0 run. The Knicks had a hard time getting decent looks on offense, and their defensive intensity was lacking, but New York would fight back, causing turnovers and turning them into baskets. However, back-to-back alley-oops from Tyrese Maxey to VJ Edgecombe forced coach Mike Brown to call his first timeout with Philly up 15-8.
The Sixers were noticeably more intense on both ends of the floor, and that helped them end the first with a 31-27 lead. It could have gotten away from the Knicks, but four offensive rebounds helped them cut into the deficit. Both teams shot around 50 percent, but the story of the first frame was the refs. Both teams were not happy with the foul and no-calls. The Knicks were called for six fouls in the first (Towns picking up two) while the Sixers had four. Joel Embiid, who missed Game 2, was back for this one and while he only scored four points, his presence was felt on the glass and spacing the floor.
Paul George was on fire in the opening frame, scoring 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting (3-for-4 from three). He torched the Knicks for 11 points in the first quarter of Game 2.
- Despite having two fouls, Towns was on the floor to start the second, along with Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado. This lineup gave the Knicks their first lead of the night on the back of Shamet's scoring and better defense from the team. However, after Alvarado's three put the Knicks up for the first time, Towns and Embiid stumbled to the floor and the Philly big man was called for the foul. Sixers coach Nick Nurse challenged and it was overturned to give Towns his third foul with eight minutes to go in the half.
With Towns on the bench with foul trouble, the Knicks picked up their big man by going on a run themselves, thanks to their patented defense-to-offense approach. They finally started getting to the line -- didn't have a free-throw attempt in the first -- and Mikal Bridges was especially huge, scoring six points and guarding his tail off -- he kept George scoreless in the second once Bridges took on that assignment. With 3:37 to go, the Knicks flipped their 12-point deficit to a 12-point lead.
The final few minutes saw the teams go basket for basket with Oubre making a corner three as time expired. The Knicks entered halftime up 60-52. Bridges and Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 15 points apiece. However, the Knicks outrebounded Philly, 25-16, and the New York bench outscored the Sixers' 16-0.
- The Knicks continued to outwork the Sixers, especially on the boards. But the Knicks missed five straight shots, allowing the Sixers to cut the deficit to just five points. Towns also picked up his fourth foul with six minutes remaining in the third. With Towns on the bench, the Sixers pushed the pace and were seemingly more energetic, as they gradually cut the Knicks' lead to three with three minutes to go. Philly resorted to the hack-a-Mitch strategy, but the Knicks big man made 3-of-4. In the final two minutes, the Sixers couldn't buy a basket as the Knicks got out to a 7-0 run to end the frame, capped by Shamet's three. New York took an 85-76 lead into the final frame.
- The fourth quarter lineup was the same as the one that started the second. But unlike that quarter, the combination couldn't get going offensively, forcing Brunson and the other starters back in. And that's when the Knicks started to pull away, building a 16-point lead -- the largest of the night to this point -- with 3:46 to go. The defense and ball movement were just too much for Philly and the Sixers offense was disjointed. Nurse waved the white flag with a couple of minutes to go with the Knicks taking a commanding 3-0 lead.
- Brunson had a game-high 33 points on 11-of-22 shooting. He now has the most 30-plus playoff games in Knicks history. Bridges had 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting.
Oubre had a team-high 22 points for Philly with Embiid going for 18 and Maxey just 17. Philadelphia shot 43 percent.
- With OG Anunoby out with a hamstring strain, Miles McBride was inserted into the starting lineup. The guard scored just three points on 1 of 6 shooting and was a minus-4 on the floor.
Game MVP: Mikal Bridges
Bridges complemented Brunson on the offensive end, and his defense on George and Maxey was superb.
May 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Well, it wasn’t exactly the offensive explosion we’ve been waiting for but they got the win. Dylan Cease was phenomenal, taking the Angels lineup apart for seven innings without ever really getting into trouble. They needed to stop the losing streak, and they did enough tonight to do that.
Dylan Cease was exceptional tonight. He made it through three innings before allowing a base runner, picking up five K’s and three soft pop outs his first time through the order. Zach Neto lined a single to lead off the fourth, and Mike Trout crushed a grounder up the third base line that could have been a problem had Kazuma Okamoto not made a great grab to turn it into a double play ball. He gave up a single each in the fifth and sixth, but neither scored and he also racked up his sixth through eighth punch outs.
He got the first two batters in the seventh, but Jo Adell lofted a fly ball over Daulton Varsho’s head in centre that bounced over the fence for a ground rule double to give the Angels their first runner in scoring position of the night. Cease responded with his tenth strikeout. That would be the end of his night. He went seven shutout innings, scattering five hits. Importantly for him, he didn’t walk a batter and took only 97 pitches to get as deep as he did. This is the kind of outing the Jays hoped to see a dozen of a year when they paid him.
The offence was happy to wait out a wild Angels pitching staff, but when they did swing they didn’t generate a lot of hits. Reid Detmers battled his command all night, but it took the Jays offence a while to capitalize. Vladimir Guerrero jr. and Kazuma Okamoto worked back to back two out walks in the first but were stranded. In the second, Davis Schneider also walked and then stole second. He moved to third on a ground out but again was left on. Finally, in the third, they brought a couple home. George Springer lead off with a ground ball single up the middle. One batter later, Vlad won a challenge to earn his second walk of the evening. Okamoto singled up the middle himself to bring Springer around to score. Following a Varsho walk, Ernie Clement hit a sac fly that was just deep enough to get Vlad home, putting the Jays up 2-0.
Detmers’ pitch count was getting out of hand at that point. He returned to face the first four batters in the bottom of the fourth, getting two outs but walking Brandon Valenzuela and allowing Springer to reach on catcher’s interference. At that point, Kurt Suzuki called for Jose Fermin to face Vlad. Vlad hit one on a line but not that hard and right to Neto at short to end the inning. Fermin returned and struck out the first two Jays in the bottom of five. Clement hit a deep fly ball to the track in centre, but Trout was there to make the catch.
Brent Suter got two strikeouts in a clean sixth. In the seventh, after Kirby Yates got the first out pinch hitter Yohendrick Pinango lined a single into left field. A Yates balk advanced him to second. Vlad hit a one hopper that looked like it passed a few inches outside the third base bag, but it was called fair and Vlad was thrown out at third without running. Okamoto lined out to prevent them from adding the insurance run.
That looked like it might cost them in the top of the eighth. Jeff Hoffman gave up a lead off double to Vaughn Grissom, who advanced on a ground out. Hoffman pulled it together to get a pop out and a Trout K to escape.
Old friend Alek Manoah got the eighth for the Angels. In his first MLB appearance in almost two years, he got two pop ups and a strikeout to hold the margin at two.
Louis Varland picked up the save without much drama in the ninth.
Jays of the Day: Cease (0.40), Okamoto (0.10),
Less So: Nobody!
It’s a 3:07pm ET start tomorrow. Jack Kochanowicz (2-1, 3.05) will take the mount for the angels. For the Jays, Trey Yesavage (1-1, 0.96) will make his third start of the season.
The Knicks gave the 76ers a few glimmers of hope. But, just as they kept beginning to believe they could actually make it a series, the Knicks kept yanking it right away, like a big brother toying with his little brother.
After absorbing an early double-digit deficit, the Knicks completely took over in the second quarter. They let the 76ers pull within four near the end of the third quarter and early in the fourth, but quickly reestablished double-digit leads both times.
The second time elicited a loud “Let’s go Knicks” chant from the plethora of their fans taking over Xfinity Mobile Arena. The 76ers’ PA announcer didn’t even try to hide it — he responded with a “C’mon, 76ers fans” plea to drown them out.
But it was a useless effort. The Knicks soon after rattled off a 13-3 run to take a 16-point lead. Jalen Brunson put the 76ers away. There was nothing left for 76ers fans to yell about. Xfinity Mobile Arena became a Knicks party.
And they brought themselves within touching distance of reaching the conference finals for the second straight year with a 108-94 victory Friday night in Game 3 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
“They jumped out and they kind of punched us in the mouth to start the game,” coach Mike Brown said. “Our guys settled down and they figured it out the next three quarters after that first one went by. Great response by our group.
“They’re resilient, they’ve been through a lot as a veteran group and it showed tonight.”
The Knicks have won six consecutive postseason games, their most since 1999.
They did it without OG Anunoby, who was out with a right hamstring strain. And they did it with minimal contribution from Karl-Anthony Towns, who again was glued to the bench for large stretches of the game due to foul trouble.
Jalen Brunson greets Mikal Bridges after scoring in the second quarter in of the Knicks’ 108-94 Game 3 win over the 76ers on May 8, 2026 in Philadelphia. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Brunson, after starting 0-for-4 and 2-for-8 from the field, largely carried the offense and finished with a game-high 33 points — on 11-for-22 shooting from the field — along with nine assists. Nine of those points came in the fourth quarter.
Mikal Bridges, without Anunoby, stepped up and delivered 23 points — 10 of which came in an impressive second quarter. His defense on Tyrese Maxey was terrific, and he also spent significant time on Paul George.
Josh Hart had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Rapper Fat Joe watching the game in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Miles McBride started for Anunoby, but it was Landry Shamet — reentering the rotation — who provided huge minutes in his place. He recorded 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting and closed in the fourth quarter. It was part of a huge bench advantage for the Knicks, who held an 18-point edge in bench points.
“It was definitely a team effort,” 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.”
Towns played just 26 minutes and finished with eight points and 12 rebounds.
Mikal Bridges goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ Game 3 win over the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter. George was torching them and had 15 points (6-for-9 shooting) in that first quarter. The Knicks committed six turnovers as the game threatened to get away from them. But they weathered the storm and only trailed by four heading into the second quarter.
Within four minutes of the second quarter, they took the lead. And they went on to dominate the second quarter, outscoring the 76ers by 12 points. It came with a key defensive tweak, at times switching Bridges onto George as opposed to Hart.
George went scoreless the rest of the game, missing all nine shots he took.
Josh Hart (left) and Karl-Anthony Towns double team Joel Embiid in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Game 3 road victory over the 76ers. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“We had to mix up coverages on him,” Brown said. “…Obviously with OG out, we were down a big wing. Mikal had to take that part over.”
Mitchell Robinson caught a lob from Brunson off an inbounds and dunked all over Joel Embiid to give the Knicks a five-point lead with 7:09 left in the second quarter. It was around then they took control and never looked back.
After they took the lead with 8:20 left in the second quarter, they led the rest of the way.
Mitchell Robinson dunks over Joel Embiid during the Knicks’ Game 3 road win over the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“That’s just what our identity is,” Hart said. “We continue to give something game after game and that’s energy. That’s what we strive to have, that energy, that physicality, that attention to detail and focus. We try to have that every game. We need to do that game after game after game.”
Much of the third quarter was defined by Robinson’s free-throw shooting. The 76ers went Hack-a-Mitch, and he was also fouled twice going up for a lob and layup. He went 4-for-8 from the line in the quarter.
Embiid had 18 points for the 76ers, while Maxey added 17. But the Knicks made them footnotes.
“We withstood the first punch,” Towns said. “That’s a great team.”
The Knicks have made them look extremely ordinary.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yeah, this is going to be a harder one to come back from.
The Sixers were outclassed again by the New York Knicks, falling 108-94 in Game 3 and into a 3-0 series deficit.
After missing Game 2, Joel Embiid never looked quite right, finishing with 18 points shooting 7-of-17 from the floor along with six rebounds and five assists. Tyrese Maxey had another passive first half, going for 17 points along with seven assists shooting 8-of-12 from the field.
Paul George couldn’t score after the first quarter, finishing with 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting. VJ Edgecombe had 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists.
Kelly Oubre Jr. led the Sixers with 22 while Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 33.
OG Anunoby was out with a hamstring strain.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
Boston had it thoroughly scouted, but the Sixers were able to hit the opening tip off right to Oubre in the frontcourt for an easy layup. It was a solid start, as picking up Brunson full court helped the Sixers get stops on the first four possessions of the game. Embiid found George open twice passing out of double teams as the Sixers started on a 9-0 run.
Even with that, Embiid started the game furious at the refs for the calls he wasn’t able to get. He and Karl-Anthony Towns were so physical to start the game they might as well have been wrestling. Once he seemed to settle down he got on the board with a midrange jumper. Defensively the Sixers threw a lot at the Knicks. On top of picking up full court, Embiid would occasionally be assigned to Josh Hart so he could roam. Three of their first four baskets were putbacks, and the Sixers were able to force four early turnovers. Brunson and Mikal Bridges hitting back-to-back threes felt like their first good looks of the night.
Maxey and Edgecombe used those turnovers well to control the game in transition, but George’s shotmaking gave them the biggest lift early as he had 15 in the first. The Knicks were slowly able to catch up as they continued to crash the glass. They grabbed four offensive rebounds and got 10 second-chance points in the quarter. Quentin Grimes’ layup attempt at the buzzer was no good, keeping the Sixers lead at four.
Andre Drummond was again the backup for Embiid. Dominick Barlow got some earlier playing time, checking in alongside Embiid as they replaced Drummond. Barlow picked up two early fouls which put an abrupt end to this shift. Between Embiid being unable to draw the fouls he wanted and the Sixers missing a ton of layups, they were playing a lot tighter on offense than they were to start the game. As detrimental as the tussling between the centers was, Embiid was at least able to draw Towns’ third foul relatively early in the quarter thanks to a challenge.
Mitchell Robinson throwing down a lob over Embiid really got the Knicks fans in the building loud. Maxey knocked down a much needed jumper, but the Sixers were struggling to stop the bleeding. Brunson answered that by drilling a three just in time toe beat the shot clock. Nick Nurse mixed things up again pulling Drummond for Adem Bona a couple minutes into his second shift. On his first offensive possession George turned it over when Bona didn’t know a pass was coming, then he fouled Bridges on the transition layup to make it an and-1.
The Sixers just looked like they were in their own heads as the Knicks kept pouring on baskets, which was jarring to see given the start they had. Maxey had only missed once, but he had only taken five shots, and he continued to be sloppy with the ball at an alarmingly casual rate. Embiid had a couple free throws rim out on him and telegraphed a moving screen badly. George had to sit for the final minute and a half of the quarter in foul trouble. Oubre trying to pressure the rim was really their most consistent offense in the quarter. He got a three to bounce in at the buzzer that cut the Knicks lead to eight.
A much needed three for the Sixers stubbornly falls for Kelly Oubre after a nice fake pass from VJ Edgecombe pic.twitter.com/UAwGsfEfCS
Fittingly, the first points of the second half came after Towns grabbed an offensive rebound over Embiid, giving Miles McBride a second chance to bury the corner three. The Sixers did have a response by finding Oubre near the basket and Edgecombe knocked down a three. George, who was still looking for his first points since the first quarter, missed his first two jumpers of the half. Embiid’s struggles continued from three as he hit the front of the rim. Brunson ended any chance of a run by beating Oubre for an and-1.
Maxey finally showed some aggression. His first three didn’t fall but he was able to create a couple baskets getting to the rim. Embiid hitting another midrange seemed to settle him as he was able to drive down the paint and hit Oubre in the dunker on the next possession. The offensive process had dramatically improved, the problem was they weren’t able to slow Brunson down on the other end.
Maxey with the quick pass to Embiid while being blitzed leads to an easy dunk for Oubre pic.twitter.com/6lqyUbPPiS
Oubre had appeared to draw an offensive foul on Brunson, but a challenge overturned the play and the foul was called on Edgecombe. The Sixers were still able to get that stop as the Knicks sailed an inbounds pass, Edgecombe was able to chase it down, cutting it to four with a fast break dunk. They got Robinson on the line who split a pair of free throws, but that was in the midst of two straight turnovers for the Sixers.
Embiid cut it to three at the line, but he took a hard foul in the process and was favoring his hip. After that the Sixers went back to hack-a-Mitch. It backfired on them with Robinson making three of his four attempts. The Sixers were unable to answer that, and a pair of Brunson free throws followed by another three from Landry Shamet put the Knicks back up by nine.
Fourth Quarter
Still looking for their first bench points of the game, Barlow returned, this time as a small-ball five. This quarter also started with the Knicks grabbing an offensive rebound and hitting a three on their second attempt. At least the Sixers finally got those elusive first bench points when Grimes hit a three on his fourth shot attempt.
After that first possession the Sixers were able to take advantage of some Brunson-less minutes. After a few stops, Grimes was able to drill another three to pull them within four and force a Knicks’ timeout. They put Brunson back in the game and ripped off an 11-2 run in response. Things only continued to look precarious as Grimes turned it over coming out of a Sixers’ timeout.
A loose ball finding its way to Maxey had him take another three and it fell, giving the Sixers a glimmer of hope. Brunson got right down the floor and answered with a bucket. Bridges beat everyone down the floor off a miss, the fast break layup putting the game away for good. The Sixers didn’t have any of the requirements to win this game. Not the effort, the shooting, rebounding, defense — none of it was good enough to get this one done.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 7: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Oracle Park on April 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s the start of a three-game series between the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hopefully it goes better than the last few series have gone.
For the Giants, lefty Robbie Ray will make his eighth start of the year. The two-time All-Star is 2-4 on the season, with a 2.95 ERA, a 4.47 FIP, and 40 strikeouts to 14 walks in 39.2 innings. He gave up three runs in 6.1 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays his last time out.
On the other side is right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski, a 27-year old in his fourth season. In seven games (six starts), Mlodzinski is 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA, a 2.49 FIP, and 40 strikeouts to 13 walks in 34 innings. After starting the season strong, he’s allowed five runs in each of his last three games.
Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has a knack for speaking his mind, whether warranted or not.
Barkley on Friday continued his back-and-forth with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, which initially began during Green's May 6 appearance on "Inside the NBA" on ESPN.
Barkley had expressed his opinion on the Warriors, saying their dynasty run is over and that Green and Stephen Curry should consider leaving if their career goals are to win more NBA championships.
"It’s over for the Warriors,” Barkley said on May 6. “No disrespect. It is for every old team. You have your run, you get old … it just passed you by. Y’all had one of the greatest runs ever.”
Green's response: "I think the goal is to not look like you in the Houston Rockets uniform. That is ultimately the goal."
Barkley was later backed by the guys he's been on the show with for three decades. Later in the show, they discussed how James Harden had more turnovers than field goals against the Detroit Pistons.
Green defended Harden, only for it to be a setup as producers had a stat that blew even Green's mind. Green has had 43 playoff games where he's finished with more turnovers than field goals made, tied with Kendrick Perkins for the most since 2003.
Draymond Green learning he has 43 games with more turnovers than field goals in the playoffs, tied with Kendrick Perkins for the most since 2003…but at least he's not Charles Barkley in a Rockets uniform pic.twitter.com/mAcQ8tVePR
The "feud" continued on Friday, with Barkley going on a spree of radio interviews. Here's what he had to say in response to Green, doubling down on his stance:
Charles Barkley responds to Draymond Green jab
Barkley stood on what he said about the Warriors and Green. He went on a couple radio shows on Friday, May 8 to reiterate his stance.
"Hey man, I never punch down," Barkley said. "Draymond's a good player. We're not on the same level. I can hear, but I don't have to respond every time somebody says something about me. Draymond's a really good player, he's had a hell of a career, but we're not on the same level."
"I never punch down. Draymond's a good player, we're not on the same level."
Charles Barkley had his shot to clap back when Draymond Green poked fun at Barkley's final NBA years in Houston but chose not to.
Barkley also went on "The Dan Patrick Show," where he continued to elaborate about Green's attempts to take personal shots at the Hall of Famer.
"He took a shot at me but I don’t get offended because ― I’ve said things about guys, they took personal shots at me,” Barkley said. “You know, it’s so funny, last time you had me on the show, I told you I regretted those Rocket years, especially the last two where I sucked as a player. But I wasn’t turning down no free money, I had two years left on my contract."
Turning the attention back to the Warriors, Barkley lamented how their run seems over, as he did to Green.
"He made it personal," Barkley said. "The Warriors haven’t been relevant for three or four years. They been in the play-in. When you’re in the play-in, you’re not in the playoffs."
He continued: "The play-in is something they just made up to add more games to put on a different network. The Warriors have been in the play-in I think four straight years. So they (have) been irrelevant. And I know he don’t want to say it. ... It's over for Golden State, they had a great run. He took a personal shot at me, but I'm not sensitive. But it's been over in Golden State. If Golden State was relevant, he wouldn’t be in the studio with me."
"If Golden State was relevant, he wouldn't be in the studio with me!" 😅
Here's the thing that many don't realize. Barkley was traded to Houston at 33 and played there for four seasons, from 1996 to 2000, retiring at 36. In those four seasons, he averaged 16.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 152 games.
Barkley was named to the All-Star Game in 1997, but didn't play due to injury. Barkley joined a team with Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon; playing with those Hall of Famers, he averaged under 20 points per game for the first time since his rookie season in 1984-85. He averaged 19.2 points that season.
The 1996-97 campaign marked Barkley's last real chance at winning a championship, as the Rockets lost to the Utah Jazz in the 1997 Western Conference finals in six games. Barkley averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds in the series.
Injuries would derail the tail end of Barkley's career, ending with a ruptured his left quadriceps tendon during the 1999-2000 season.
Unless Green was referring to career-ending injuries, maybe looking like Houston Barkley isn't so bad, after all.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts bats for Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets on a rehab assignment on May 8, 2026.
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers star Mookie Betts played five innings at shortstop and had a singled in his three at-bats for Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment on Friday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City. The tentative plan is for Betts to play two games for the Comets then return to Los Angeles and be activated on Monday, if all goes well.
“One part is to take six or seven at-bats, and feel good with his timing. Build up some endurance in playing defense, on both sides of the ball with the running piece,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday at Dodger Stadium. “Hopefully he gets tested where he doesn’t feel anything.”
It’s the first minor league game Betts has played since 2015 while with the Boston Red Sox. He’s since had injured list stints in 2018 (abdominal strain), 2021 (right hip inflammation), 2022 (right rib fracture), and 2024 (broken hand), and in each of those occasions used simulated games and batting practice as his rehab assignments.
“Once he gets back with us, we’re not going to run him out there every single day. There will probably be a couple days where he can get reintroduced to playing a lot,” Roberts said. “I’m going to count on Mookie. As long as he’s healthy, we’re better with him.”
Once Betts returns, whether it’s on Monday or some other date, one infielder will need to be sent down. Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim have minor league options, while veteran reserve Santiago Espinal does not.
“We’re going to have some hard conversations. But fortunately, we don’t have to have those until he does come back,” Roberts said. “As we’ve seen, these things can change quickly, so we’ll be prepared.”
Brewers outfielder Brandon Lockridge exited Friday’s game against the Yankees on a cart after crashing into a low wall along the left field line.
Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger hit a high fly ball into left that tailed into foul ground, and as Lockridge gave chase, he slid along the warning track to try and make the play.
But as he slid into the dirt, his leg crashed into the jutting stands in that part of American Family Field as the ball fell to the ground. He was immediately in pain and then rolled over into fair ground onto his stomach.
After the 6-0 win over the Yankees, manager Pat Murphy told reporters that X-rays came back negative, but Lockridge did have a deep laceration on the bone.
“It’s going to be a while. It’s all the way down to his bone, the laceration. So, pretty ugly,” said Murphy, who said it was a right knee injury. “We don’t know the extent of any other damage because there’s so much swelling that we’re going to have to wait until it goes down and get an MRI at that time.”
Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Brandon Lockridge (20) runs into the wall while trying to field a foul ball during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at American Family Field on May 8, 2026. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn ImagesMilwaukee Brewers’ Brandon Lockridge is carted off the field after suffering an injury during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Milwaukee. AP
The 29-year-old lay prone on the dirt as his teammates and the Brewers staff came out to examine him.
Lockridge was eventually helped to his fee by athletic trainer Brad Epstein and first baseman Andrew Vaughn but was carted off the field after a delay.
He was carted off the diamond and replaced in the game by Garrett Mitchell.
Brandon Lockridge was in serious pain after crashing into the wall in foul territory pic.twitter.com/tgLfCpHaIp
The Grand Rapids Griffins are hoping to gain the upper hand by eliminating the Manitoba Moose in the Calder Cup Playoffs, currently enjoying a two games to one series lead after rebounding from their Game 1 loss.
And it was defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka who scored what was nothing short of a highlight-reel worthy goal to try and help them make that quest a reality.
Sandin-Pellikka took a pass in the neutral zone and proceeded to dangle through a pair of Manitoba defenders before slipping the puck through the pads of goaltender Thomas Milic into the back of the net, sending the crowd at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids into a frenzy.
The goal gave the Griffins a 2-1 lead over the Moose with 5:10 left in the second period.
The Swedish defenseman, who was Detroit’s first round pick (17th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft, was one of several rookies to make the Red Wings roster this past fall thanks to a strong showing in Training Camp and the preseason.
He ultimately appeared in 68 games, scoring seven goals with 14 assists while averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time per outing.
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