EDWARDS RETURNS AS TIMBERWOLVES EDGE SPURS IN PLAYOFF OPENER, KNICKS ROUT 76ERS
Hope
Anthony Edwards made a surprise return from injury to inspire the Minnesota Timberwolves to a narrow 104-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of their Western Conference semi-final series on Monday night.
Edwards, who had been expected to miss the opening games of the series, scored 18 points in just 25 minutes as Minnesota held off a late Spurs surge to steal the opener on the road.
The contest was shaped by a historic defensive display from Victor Wembanyama, who recorded 11 points, 15 rebounds and a postseason-record 12 blocks. The performance made him only the third player in NBA playoff history to register a triple-double that includes blocks since the statistic began being recorded in 1973.
Despite Wembanyama’s dominance, Minnesota held their nerve in the closing stages. San Antonio reduced the deficit to two points in the final minute, but a missed three-pointer at the buzzer denied them a dramatic comeback.
Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while the Spurs were paced by 18 points from Dylan Harper and additional contributions from Julian Champagnie and Stephon Castle.
Game 2 of the series will be played in San Antonio on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks continued their dominant playoff run with a commanding 137-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1.
Jalen Brunson led the rout with 35 points, including 27 in the first half, as the Knicks overwhelmed their opponents with a clinical offensive display.
The victory extended New York’s remarkable postseason form, making them the first team in NBA history to win three consecutive playoff games by margins of at least 25 points.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 17 points along with six rebounds and six assists, while OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges also made key contributions.
Philadelphia struggled to keep pace, with Joel Embiid limited to 14 points on an inefficient shooting night. Paul George and Tyrese Maxey added 17 and 13 points respectively.
The Knicks, who have now won four straight playoff games in emphatic fashion, will look to extend their series lead when Game 2 is played in New York before the contest shifts to Philadelphia.
