Wemby Shot 70% and Still Had to Bleed for It

Wemby Shot 70% and Still Had to Bleed for It

The cuts and bruises on Victor Wembanyama's long arms after Friday night told a different story than the highlight reel. The 22-year-old from France had to scrap for every inch against the Minnesota Timberwolves — fighting for paint position, jockeying for rebounds, picking up his fifth foul with 6:18 left — before finishing with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in San Antonio's 115-108 Game 3 road win. The Spurs lead the Western Conference second-round series 2-1.

The stat line puts Wembanyama in a bracket previously occupied only by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O'Neal — the only other players in playoff history to reach 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in a single game. But Wembanyama did it shooting 13-for-18 from the field and 10-for-12 from the line, better than 70% from the floor, a threshold none of those Hall of Famers hit in their qualifying games. He even used a spin fadeaway over his former mentor Rudy Gobert — a move Olajuwon himself taught him — during a 16-point fourth quarter that put the game away. "It's good to be along with the big fellas," Wembanyama said.

The win wasn't clean. San Antonio blitzed out to an 18-3 lead, then watched Anthony Edwards — starting for the first time since returning from a knee injury he suffered in the second round against the Denver Nuggets — drag Minnesota back into the fight. When the Wolves pulled within one possession late, Wembanyama hit a three-pointer and the Spurs closed it at the line. "They just continue showing growth," coach Mitch Johnson said.

Gobble's Take: Wemby is in his first postseason, has played seven playoff games, and is already forcing historians to add footnotes — the Wolves should be scared, and so should everyone else.

Sources: Yahoo Sports NBA · Yahoo Sports NBA

The Knicks Are One Win From the Conference Finals and Nobody Can Stop Them

Two weeks ago, New York was down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks and the calls for Mike Brown's job were getting loud. On Friday night, the Knicks won their sixth straight game — a 108-94 road win in Philadelphia — to go up 3-0 on the 76ers and put themselves one victory from the Eastern Conference finals. They did it without OG Anunoby, against a Sixers team playing for its postseason life with Joel Embiid back and Paul George scorching for 15 first-quarter points. The visitors turned a four-point first quarter deficit into a 60-52 halftime lead and never looked back.

Jalen Brunson had 33 points, 18 of them in the second half, which is when good teams separate and great players take over. When Quentin Grimes hit a pair of threes to bring the 76ers within four in the fourth quarter, it was Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart who all scored to set up the victory. The quiet engine of this run has been Karl-Anthony Towns, who has racked up 46 assists over the six-game winning streak — a playmaking dimension that has made New York's offense far less Brunson-centric. Bench contributors Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson, and Jordan Clarkson all delivered when the Sixers threatened.

According to CBS Sports, the path ahead looks favorable: New York would enter the Eastern Conference finals as the clear favorite, with the Detroit Pistons unable to match their offensive firepower and the Cleveland Cavaliers unable to match their physicality. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia, where New York can close it out.

Gobble's Take: Jalen Brunson is turning a 3-0 series lead into an audition tape for the best Knicks player of all time — and honestly, the argument is already compelling.

Sources: Yahoo Sports NBA · CBS Sports NBA

Spurs Take Series Lead Behind Wembanyama's Dominant Game 3

The noise inside Target Center was built to break young teams. It didn't work. Victor Wembanyama delivered 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks as San Antonio escaped with a 115-108 Game 3 victory over the Timberwolves, taking control of the Western Conference semifinal series. The Spurs are now two wins away from the Western Conference Finals.

San Antonio exploded early with an 18-3 run, silencing the home crowd almost immediately. But Minnesota clawed back. Anthony Edwards — returning from a knee injury suffered against Denver — attacked relentlessly, hit difficult jumpers through contact, and fed energy into the building with every possession. Naz Reid fired off the bench. Jaden McDaniels battled for loose balls. With the Spurs leading 102-100 late, the comeback felt real.

Then Wembanyama took over. A three-pointer to quiet the building. A soaring finish at the rim. A defensive stop. He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter alone. Stephon Castle quietly added 13 points and 12 assists. De'Aaron Fox chipped in 17. San Antonio closed it at the free-throw line despite missing eight free throws on the night — a fixable problem, but one that will cost them against Oklahoma City or New York if it continues. Minnesota dominated second-chance points 30-12. The Spurs won anyway.

Gobble's Take: If Wembanyama is already doing Kareem-Hakeem-Shaq things in the second round, the rest of the West should be genuinely worried.

Source: Yahoo Sports NBA

In Case You Missed It

Yesterday's top stories:

• The Knicks' 3-0 Dream Just Got a Hamstring-Shaped Trapdoor
• Cade Cunningham Is Making Stardom Look Boring, and That's the Scariest Thing in the Playoffs
• The Thunder Are Winning, and the Lakers Are Arguing With the Refs
• Golden State's Offseason Is Already Living in the Land of Impossible Names
• A.J. Dybantsa's Best NBA Landing Spots, Ranked Ahead of Sunday's Lottery