Victor Wembanyama delivered another masterpiece with 39 points, 15 rebounds and more game-breaking defense for the San Antonio Spurs, who took a 2-1 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-108 in their second-round NBA playoff series.
Wembanyama went 13 of 18 from the floor and 10 of 12 from the line, adding five blocks and suppressing the paint all night as the Spurs won their second straight game after dropping the opener at home.
De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points and Stephen Castle had 13 points and 12 assists for a team-high plus-17.
Anthony Edwards had 32 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves. The defense survived after a disastrous start, but allowed the Spurs to shoot 6-for-10 from 3-point range in a pivotal third quarter.
Minnesota hosts Game 4 on Sunday night. The series returns to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday.
Jaden McDaniels picked up Wembanyama’s fifth foul with 6:18 left to bring the Wolves within 99-98 with a pair of free throws, but the Spurs never trailed in the second half despite never leading by double digits.
Wembanyama did not flinch despite the foul risk and finished the fourth quarter with 16 points. His 3-pointer in response to Reed’s 3-pointer pushed San Antonio’s lead to 6 points with 3 minutes and 6 seconds left. Reid had another strike near the end of the shot clock on the next possession that hit the rim and Wembanyama rebounded.
Edwards, who returned from a deep bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee just a week to start the series and again showed Minnesota his ability to heal quickly, scored 22 points in the first half to help the team come back from an early 18-3 deficit.
“It was like holding the boat together. We had the lead. There was no need to rush. We needed to be consistent,” Wembanyama said.
But it was 22-year-old Wembanyama who stole the show. Asked what he witnessed after such a performance, teammate Fox said: “It’s great.
“We all know it. We see him every day. We see the effort and time he puts into his game and his body, knowing that teams will come here and try to be physical with him.
“He gets through it and he doesn’t complain. He knows what he’s going to put up with. He comes out here and produces.”
Knicks ahead of Eastern Conference finals
Jalen Brunson scored 33 points and closed out the game with a big late performance to the cheers of cheering Knicks fans, and New York advanced 3-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 109-94 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
Game 4 will be held in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Brunson shook off a 2-of-8 start from the floor and finished 22-of-11 in 38 minutes, leading the Knicks to their sixth straight postseason win.
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Mitchell Robinson dunks on Joel Embiid after a big performance for the New York Knicks against the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I’m Linus. Jalen is my blanket.” said first-year Knicks coach Mike Brown. “He helps me relax at various times during the game.”
With the 2016 and 2018 Villanova national championship banners hanging from the rafters, the so-called Nova Knicks took turns against the Sixers in the fourth quarter, turning a four-point lead into another double-digit win.
Josh Hart had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Michal Bridges added 23 points to push the Knicks to within one win of their second straight conference finals appearance.
