New York (AFP) – Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs thrashed the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-95 to level their NBA playoff series as the New York Knicks edged Philadelphia for a 2-0 lead Wednesday. Bouncing back from a home-court upset loss on Monday, the Western Conference second-seeded Spurs’ resounding win reestablishes them as favorites to progress.
Seven-foot-four (2.24m) phenom Wembanyama was in imperious form again in San Antonio, with 19 points plus 15 rebounds and two blocks, as the Spurs notched up their highest playoff score since 1983. The newly crowned NBA defensive player of the year also helped restrict Minnesota to just 35 points in the first half — the Timberwolves’ lowest-scoring half all season — to ensure the vital series-tying win was essentially decided by the break. “I’m expecting this kind of response from myself, from my teammates, so I’m not surprised by any means,” said Wembanyama. “There is some ego. They assaulted us in game one, we wanted to assault in game two,” the Frenchman added.
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Minnesota’s 24-point halftime deficit only widened in the second half, peaking at 47 points, before San Antonio rested its starters for the final stages. The performance came after Minnesota’s head coach had accused Wembanyama of repeated illegal goaltending violations in game one, during which the Frenchman had made a playoff-record 12 blocks. Asked if there had been any anger on his part entering game two, he replied: “There always is. In the playoffs, magnify that.” Minnesota ace Anthony Edwards, who shone in game one after returning from a left knee injury, was restricted to 12 points and spent the final quarter on the bench icing his legs. The two sides meet again Friday in Minneapolis for game three.
– ‘Ugly’ – Jalen Brunson spearheaded a late surge as the New York Knicks edged a razor-tight NBA playoff clash against the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final series. Having been thrashed in game one, the underdog Sixers were without star man Joel Embiid, who was ruled out with injury hours before tip-off. But they put up a much fiercer fight at Madison Square Garden, in a game featuring 25 lead changes — the most for a playoff game in 11 years — before the Knicks pulled clear in the final minutes.
Brunson’s clutch play — including eight fourth-quarter points — ensured victory, with the Knicks talisman joint top-scoring on 26 points. “It’s a playoff basketball game. You know, the game was ugly offensively,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown. The Sixers took a seven-point lead after five minutes. It would prove to be the largest of the closely contested night. In Embiid’s absence, Tyrese Maxey stepped up with 15 points in the second quarter alone, as Philadelphia eked out a single-point half-time lead.
But the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns came alive after the break, scoring 20 points plus 10 rebounds and seven assists, while OG Anunoby went 9-of-17 from the field for his 24 points. With the scores level 99-99 and five minutes to go, Brunson applied the pressure just as the Sixers ran out of steam. Two Brunson field goals gave New York a four-point lead — their biggest of the night to that point — before Mikal Bridges’ step-back shot made it a 9-0 run and a six-point lead. Maxey made a late driving layup — finishing with 26 points — but it was not enough to close the gap. “We played great offense. We just didn’t shot-make,” said Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse.
The absence of 2023 league Most Valuable Player Embiid, who excelled in the Sixers’ upset victory over the Celtics in the previous round, ultimately told. Embiid was ruled unable to play due to right hip soreness and a right ankle sprain. The Sixers will be sweating on his fitness for Friday, when the series continues in Philadelphia.
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