2026 NBA Playoffs

Recap: Knicks go up 3-0, Spurs take 2-1 lead behind Wemby's historic night

Check out the best from Friday's action in the 2026 NBA Conference Semifinals with our live blog, featuring Knicks-76ers, Spurs-Wolves.

NBA.com Staff

Jalen Brunson dropped a game-high 33 points and 9 assists in New York’s 108-94 win over the Sixers to take a 3-0 series lead.

Enjoy the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news and highlights from Friday’s action.

A pair of crucial Game 3s are in the books! New York earned a 3-0 series lead over Philadelphia, while San Antonio pulled ahead of Minnesota to secure a 2-1 edge.

What we know about Friday’s games:

  • The Knicks dominated Game 3 to grab a commanding 3-0 series lead against Philadelphia. Jalen Brunson (33 pts, 9 ast) tallied his 24th playoff outing with 30+ points as a Knick in the 108-94 victory, which tied Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the most such games since 2023. No team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven playoff series (0-161).
  • Victor Wembanyama became the fourth player in NBA history to record 35+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ blocks in a playoff game during the Spurs’ 115-108 win over Minnesota. Wemby scored 16 of his game-high 39 points in the decisive fourth quarter to give San Antonio a 2-1 lead in the series.

MAY 9, 2026 / 12:38 ET

Friday’s final scores:

Victor Wembanyama (39 pts, 15 reb, 5 blk) is your player of the night!

MAY 9, 2026 / 12:42 ET

Wemby. Shaq. Dream. Kareem.🚨

Victor Wembanyama tonight: Playoff career-high 39 points on 13-for-18 shooting (72.2%), 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. Wembanyama becomes just the 4th player in NBA history to record 35+ PTS, 15+ REB and 5+ BLK in a playoff game.

The last player to do it? Shaq on May 6, 2001 – 25 years and 2 days ago.

The whole list? Just some all-timers.

  • Shaquille O’Neal (3x)
  • Hakeem Olajuwon (3x)
  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2x)

Of the four, he’s the only one to do it while shooting 70+% from the floor. He’s just the fourth player to post the line and the 9th instance overall since blocks were tracked starting in the 1974 playoffs … and it’s just his 7th career playoff game.

MAY 9, 2026 / 12:35 ET

Spurs win, grab 2-1 series lead

Victor Wembanyama (39 pts, 15 reb, 5 blk) becomes the fourth player in NBA history with 35+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ blocks in San Antonio’s 115-108 win over the Timberwolves in Game 3. Wemby joins Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time list.

Stephon Castle tallies a double-double with 13 points and 12 assists, and De’Aaron Fox (17 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl) and Devin Vassell (13 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl) stuff the stat sheet to help the Spurs pull ahead in the conference semifinals.

Anthony Edwards shines with 32 points (12-26 FG, 3 3PM), 14 rebounds, 6 assists and one block in almost 41 minutes. Jaden McDaniels (17 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk) and Naz Reid (18 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast, 2 blk) did a bit of everything in the loss for Minnesota. They’ll have the chance to knot the series up at 2 in Game 4 on Sunday.

MAY 9, 2026 / 12:18 ET

Wemby taking over in 4Q

Victor Wembanyama has 14 of his game-high 37 points in the fourth quarter, fueling San Antonio’s 109-103 lead over Minnesota with 2:26 remaining.

For the Wolves, Rudy Gobert is leaving his mark on Game 3, tallying 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks in 31 minutes.

MAY 9, 2026 / 12:12 ET

Brunson now stands alone at the top

Jalen Brunson passes Walt Frazier for the most postseason games with 30+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in Knicks franchise history.

MAY 9, 2026 / 12:01 ET

Wolves clawing back

Terrence Shannon Jr. (5 pts) gets his first buckets in the fourth quarter, but he’s drawn three offensive fouls and has a game-best +18 plus-minus in 25 minutes off the bench.

The Timberwolves trail the Spurs 95-91 with 7:52 remaining in the contest.

MAY 8, 2026 / 11:50 ET

Spurs on top heading to 4Q

San Antonio wins the third quarter by a score of 35-28 and secures an 86-79 lead over Minnesota as we head to the final frame.

Victor Wembanyama has 23 points, 9 boards, one steal and 3 blocks to pace the Spurs on both ends, while Devin Vassell (13 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl), De’Aaron Fox (13 pts, 3 ast, 1 stl) and Stephon Castle (13 pts, 4 reb, 10 ast) are doing a bit of everything as well.

Anthony Edwards registers game-highs in scoring (27) and rebounds (12), and Naz Reid adds 15 points (5-11 FG, 3 3PM), 8 rebounds, 3 assists and one block off the Wolves’ bench.

MAY 8, 2026 / 11:34 ET

Getting chippy in Game 3👀

Stephon Castle and Jaden McDaniels have to be separated following a timeout from the Spurs. Dylan Harper takes an inadvertent knee to the back of his head, prompting the San Antonio TO.

The Spurs hold a 74-70 lead with 4:18 remaining in the third quarter on Prime Video!

MAY 8, 2026 / 11:28 ET

Frenetic start to 3Q

Both Minnesota and San Antonio are shooting better than 53% from the field with 5:59 remaining in the third quarter, and the Spurs hold a slight 72-68 advantage.

Victor Wembanyama has 19 points and 9 rebounds to lead the Spurs, while Anthony Edwards tallies a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolves.

MAY 8, 2026 / 11:06 ET

Wolves, Spurs tied at 51 at half

Jaden McDaniels’ 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer counts, giving him 8 points (2-9 FG, 2 3PM) with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and one block to help Minnesota tie things up at the break. Anthony Edwards (game-high 19 pts, 9 reb) and Naz Reid (10 pts, 2 3PM, 7 reb) lead the pack for the Wolves.

Despite a 15-point first-quarter deficit, Minnesota’s defense and second chance opportunities (14-4 scoring advantage) bring them right back into what’s been a tremendous Game 3 so far.

Victor Wembanyama fuels San Antonio with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting with 9 boards and 2 swats in 16 minutes, while Devin Vassell (4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl) and Stephon Castle (2 reb, 7 ast) each have 8 points.

MAY 8, 2026 / 10:35 ET

Spurs, Wolves going at it

Victor Wembanyama (15 pts, 9 reb, 2 blk) and Anthony Edwards (15 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast) are trading buckets as the Spurs and Timberwolves fight for control in this pivotal Game 3.

San Antonio leads 36-33 with 6:41 to go in the first half on Prime Video.

MAY 8, 2026 / 10:19 ET

Wolves close 1Q on 19-5 run

Minnesota, who trailed 14-1 midway through the opening frame, uses a 19-5 burst to close the first to make it a 23-22 deficit. Anthony Edwards drops 13 points in the quarter and scores the final 12 for the Wolves after a triple goes in at the buzzer.

Victor Wembanyama fuels San Antonio with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks in 8 minutes.

The Wolves started 1-for-15 from the field but make 7 of their next 8 attempts to get the Target Center crowd back into the game.

MAY 8, 2026 / 10:11 ET

Hats off for New York’s captain

Check out Jalen Brunson’s masterful performance to power the Knicks to a 3-0 series lead.

 

MAY 8, 2026 / 10:08 ET

Spurs start with a bang

Victor Wembanyama has come storming out of the gates for the visiting Spurs, posting 9 points (4-6 FG), 5 boards and 2 blocks in just 6 minutes. The defense has been incredible for San Antonio, as Minnesota misses their first 12 shots to help the Spurs take an 18-6 advantage with 3:48 left in the opening quarter on Prime Video.

Naz Reid leads the Wolves with 3 points and 3 rebounds in 4 minutes off the bench.

MAY 8, 2026 / 9:54 ET

Knicks take 3-0 series lead

New York handles business in Game 3, securing a 108-94 victory over the 76ers to grab a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Jalen Brunson (33 pts, 5 reb, 9 ast) tallies his 24th 30-point playoff game, the most in Knicks franchise history.

Mikal Bridges adds 23 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals to stay hot over his last four outings, and Landry Shamet sparks with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench. New York has now won six consecutive games in the postseason.

Kelly Oubre Jr. leads Philadelphia with 22 points and 8 rebounds, with Joel Embiid (18 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk) and Tyrese Maxey (17 pts, 7 ast, 1 stl) close behind him. Paul George finishes with 15 points (6-18 FG), 5 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals, with all of his scoring coming in the first quarter (0-9 FG rest of game).

MAY 8, 2026 / 9:42 ET

Knicks closing in on 3-0 lead

New York leads 107-91 with 2:05 left in the contest behind Jalen Brunson’s game-high 33 points on 11-for-22 shooting in 38 minutes.

MAY 8, 2026 / 9:33 ET

New York in control

Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges (21 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl) are doing work to give the Knicks a 99-86 edge with 5:46 remaining in Game 3.

MAY 8, 2026 / 9:18 ET

Knicks holding lead in 4Q

New York took an 85-76 advantage heading to the fourth quarter, and they continue their lead a couple minutes in, 88-79.

Jalen Brunson has a game-high 24 points to go along with 8 dimes, while Kelly Oubre Jr. powers Philly with 22 points and 8 rebounds.

MAY 8, 2026 / 9:12 ET

Starting Lineups: Spurs-Timberwolves, Game 3

San Antonio Spurs:

  • PG – De’Aaron Fox (13.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, 1.5 spg)
  • SG – Stephon Castle (19.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.0 spg)
  • SF – Devin Vassell (12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg)
  • PF – Julian Champagnie (14.5 ppg, 53.8% on 6.5 3PA, 5.0 rpg)
  • C – Victor Wembanyama (15.0 ppg, 15.0 rpg, 7.0 bpg)

Minnesota Timberwolves:

  • PG – Mike Conley (7.5 ppg, 4.5 apg)
  • SG – Anthony Edwards (15.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
  • SF – Jaden McDaniels (14.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 bpg)
  • PF – Julius Randle (16.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.5 spg)
  • C – Rudy Gobert (6.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.0 spg)

Anthony Edwards rejoins the starting lineup for the first time in the Conference Semifinals, while Ayo Dosunmu (heel) is active and should lead Minnesota’s second unit alongside Naz Reid.

MAY 8, 2026 / 8:55 ET

Knicks, Sixers battling in 3Q

Kelly Oubre Jr. has a team-high 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting (2 3PM, 6-6 FT), while Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each tally 12 points and 5 assists. The Sixers trail the Knicks 76-70 with 4:17 left in the third quarter.

Jalen Brunson leads New York with 22 points and 8 assists, adding 4 rebounds with two made 3s, and Mikal Bridges posts 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting (2-4 3PM) in 28 minutes.

MAY 8, 2026 / 8:47 ET

Ayo is a GO

Ayo Dosunmu (heel) is active for the Timberwolves’ Game 3 tonight on Prime Video!

MAY 8, 2026 / 8:25 ET

Knicks lead 60-52 at half

After trailing by 12 in the first quarter, New York rallies for a dominant second, outscoring the Sixers 33-21 to take an 8-point advantage at the break. The Knicks lead in paint scoring (36-24), bench (16-0) and second chance points (15-6) while controlling the boards (29-19) through 24 minutes.

Jalen Brunson (15 pts, 2 reb, 7 ast) and Mikal Bridges (15 pts, 2 3PM, 1 stl) are doing the heavy lifting with OG Anunoby (hamstring) out, with Josh Hart (8 pts, 9 reb) and Landry Shamet (9 pts, 1 stl) in support.

Paul George (15 pts, 2 reb, 1 stl) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (15 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast) pace Philadelphia, while Tyrese Maxey (2 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl) and Joel Embiid (2 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk) each add 8 points.

MAY 8, 2026 / 8:11 ET

Knicks separating in 2Q

New York takes a 54-42 lead over the 76ers with 3:37 to go before halftime. The Knicks are shooting a scorching 71.4% (10-14 FG) in the second, while Philly has gone cold, going 4-for-14 (28.6%) from the field.

MAY 8, 2026 / 8:08 ET

Ant good to go for Game 3

Anthony Edwards will suit up for Minnesota as they look to take a 2-1 series lead versus San Antonio tonight. Ayo Dosunmu (Achilles, heel) is still listed as questionable.

MAY 8, 2026 / 8:06 ET

Poster alert in Philly🚨

Jalen Brunson (11 pts, 5 ast) and Josh Hart (8 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast) have the Knicks offense humming in the second quarter, as they take a 49-40 advantage against the Sixers with 4:41 left before halftime.

MAY 8, 2026 / 7:52 ET

Knicks rallying in second

New York takes their first lead of the game, 38-35, with 8:20 left in the first half. Landry Shamet catches fire with a team-high 9 points on 4-for-5 shooting off the Knicks’ bench, making several tough shots in traffic to bring his squad back.

Philadelphia’s defense has been solid to start Game 3, collecting 3 steals and 2 blocks while forcing 6 New York turnovers.

MAY 8, 2026 / 7:42 ET

PG cooks in 1Q, Sixers lead

Philly takes a 31-27 edge to the second quarter behind a game-high 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting from Paul George. The Sixers led by as many as 12 in the frame, but New York closes the quarter on a 15-8 run to tighten things up.

Josh Hart (6 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast) and Karl-Anthony Towns (6 pts, 3-3 FG, 2 reb) lead the way for the Knicks, while Jalen Brunson adds 5 points and 4 dimes in 12 minutes of play.

MAY 8, 2026 / 7:30 ET

Sixers bringing the energy

Philly’s backcourt of Tyrese Maxey (2 pts, 2 ast, 1 stl) and VJ Edgecombe (6 pts) set the tone early, while Paul George has a game-high 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting and 3-for-4 from 3-point range. The Sixers hold a 25-18 lead over the Knicks with 3:54 left in the opening quarter on Prime Video.

Josh Hart (4 reb, 1 ast) and Karl-Anthony Towns (3-3 FG, 2 reb) each have 6 points to pace New York early.

MAY 8, 2026 / 6:50 ET

Starting Lineups: Knicks-76ers, Game 3

New York Knicks:

  • PG – Jalen Brunson (30.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 1.5 spg)
  • SG – Miles McBride (6.0 ppg, 1.5 3PM, 1.5 apg)
  • SF – Mikal Bridges (17.5 ppg, 69.6% on 11.5 FGA)
  • PF – Josh Hart (6.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 6.0 apg, 3.0 spg)
  • C – Karl-Anthony Towns (18.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.0 bpg)

Philadelphia 76ers:

  • PG – Tyrese Maxey (19.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.0 apg)
  • SG – VJ Edgecombe (14.5 ppg, 41.7% on 6.0 3PA, 1.0 spg)
  • SF – Paul George (18.0 ppg, 47.4% on 9.5 3PA, 4.5 rpg)
  • PF – Kelly Oubre Jr. (15.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 spg)
  • C – Joel Embiid (14.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg)

MAY 8, 2026 / 6:30 ET

Tonight’s injury report

NYK @ PHI — Josh Hart (thumb) and Mitchell Robinson (illness) are available, while OG Anunoby (hamstring) is out for the Knicks.

Joel Embiid (ankle, hip) is available to play for the 76ers.

SAS @ MIN — Anthony Edwards (knee) and Ayo Dosunmu (Achilles) are both questionable to suit up for the Timberwolves.

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