Tag: NBA

What is “The Alley & Oop Show”?

The series follows the adventures of Alley, Oop, and their hoops-fanatic sidekick Buzzer as they take a trip around the country in the Hoopsmobile to different NBA cities to highlight standout players at each destination. Each city tells a different story through its culture, and the trio dives into challenges, storytelling and more to discover what makes each team and player unique.

When does the show premiere?

The series debuts May 22 on the NBA App and NBA YouTube channel.

Where can I watch it?

Fans can watch episodes on the NBA App and NBA YouTube.

What is the show about?

Each episode focuses on a different NBA city and player. Through games, storytelling and adventures, Alley, Oop and Buzzer discover what makes every team and community unique.

Who appears in the first episode?

The first episode will feature two-time All-Star Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs! The 2026 unanimous Kia Defensive Player of the Year will provide us with his tricks of the trade, as our trio dives into the rich history of the Spurs.

Who are the main characters?

Who is Alley?

Alley is regarded as the show’s hoops expert. She’s got the style, smarts and a little playoff sass to bring out the intricacies of the game. Oh, and she enjoys teasing Oop now and then. Learn more about Alley

Who is Oop?

Oop is our resident crazed hoops fan with aspirations of playing in the NBA when he grows up. He’s confident, energetic, always cracking jokes and always attempting to pull off his next highlight move. Keep in mind, though, he is a little clumsy, but that’s due to the excitement … most of the time. Learn more about Oop

Who is Buzzer?

Buzzer is our camera bird sidekick, who’s always buzzing around to film the action. He follows Alley & Oops’ adventures to make sure no moment goes unrecorded. From swooping to get the perfect shot or popping into frame for the funniest moments– he’s everywhere! Learn more about Buzzer

What is “The Alley & Oop Show”?

The series follows the adventures of Alley, Oop, and their hoops-fanatic sidekick Buzzer as they take a trip around the country in the Hoopsmobile to different NBA cities to highlight standout players at each destination. Each city tells a different story through its culture, and the trio dives into challenges, storytelling and more to discover what makes each team and player unique.

When does the show premiere?

The series debuts May 22 on the NBA App and NBA YouTube channel.

Where can I watch it?

Fans can watch episodes on the NBA App and NBA YouTube.

What is the show about?

Each episode focuses on a different NBA city and player. Through games, storytelling and adventures, Alley, Oop and Buzzer discover what makes every team and community unique.

Who appears in the first episode?

The first episode will feature two-time All-Star Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs! The 2026 unanimous Kia Defensive Player of the Year will provide us with his tricks of the trade, as our trio dives into the rich history of the Spurs.

Who are the main characters?

Who is Alley?

Alley is regarded as the show’s hoops expert. She’s got the style, smarts and a little playoff sass to bring out the intricacies of the game. Oh, and she enjoys teasing Oop now and then. Learn more about Alley

Who is Oop?

Oop is our resident crazed hoops fan with aspirations of playing in the NBA when he grows up. He’s confident, energetic, always cracking jokes and always attempting to pull off his next highlight move. Keep in mind, though, he is a little clumsy, but that’s due to the excitement … most of the time. Learn more about Oop

Who is Buzzer?

Buzzer is our camera bird sidekick, who’s always buzzing around to film the action. He follows Alley & Oops’ adventures to make sure no moment goes unrecorded. From swooping to get the perfect shot or popping into frame for the funniest moments– he’s everywhere! Learn more about Buzzer

• Download the NBA App

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in this position before – down 1-0 in the playoffs – and responded with series victories.

It happened twice last year as the Thunder won the championship. They lost Game 1 to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals and Game 1 to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. They needed seven games to win both series.

That experience allows the Thunder to act with poise and confidence and an understanding that they have found answers in the past and can figure out how to beat the San Antonio Spurs after Monday’s 122-115 Game 1 double-overtime loss.

“The cumulative experience just teaches you that it’s a series,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “Game 1’s a starting point, not an end point. We’ve lost a playoff series that we’ve won Game 1 pretty convincingly, and we’ve also won a series that we’ve won Game 1.

“So every series is different. It’s the first to four. They’re 25% of the way there, and we’re at zero right now, but there’s a lot of basketball left to be played. This team understands the length of a series, the length of a playoff run, the length of the playoff game. That’s the value of the experiences that we’ve had.”

Here are three things to watch in Game 2 Wednesday (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock).

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1. Can the Thunder limit Victor Wembanyama?

It was no secret entering the series that Wembanyama would be a handful for the Thunder. But that much of a handful? If that’s the Wembanyama the Thunder are going to get, maybe there’s not a game plan that can save them.

He was 13-for-21 on shots in in the paint, and the Thunder had undersized Alex Caruso defend Wembanyama for long stretches in an attempt to be more physical with him.

But it could also require more size with Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams.

Wembanyama’s 48 minutes, 42 seconds were a career high, and the Spurs have been careful with Wembanyama’s minutes. He played 29.2 minutes per game in the regular season and 28.8 per game during the first two rounds of the playoffs. This season, he didn’t log one game with more than 40 minutes played.

And that could be part of the long game for the Thunder – wear down Wembanyama with heavy minutes. In a series that is played every other day, can Wembanyama play big minutes and still be as effective as the series progresses?

Let’s see if the Thunder have solutions.

“Everything’s on the table,” Daigneault said. “In these series, you can’t just throw one pitch throughout the whole series. We have reasons why we approached the game why we did last night. Some of that was the regular-season matchup. Some of that was the stuff that we saw in the first couple rounds from ourselves and from them.

“But in these series, one of the things you got to do is you got to figure out what the problems are, and you got to put the fires out pretty quickly. And so that’s our challenge and we got to work on that with the team. We’ll continue to work on it and then we’ll throw our best pitch (Wednesday) night.”

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2. Gilgeous-Alexander’s response to Game 1

If Wembanyama played with a chip on his shoulder in Game 1 because he didn’t win Kia MVP and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did, then Gilgeous-Alexander likely will play with a similar chip because of his Game 1 performance.

In the aggregate, it wasn’t horrible: 24 points, 12 assists, five steals, one block, four turnovers. But it wasn’t efficient (7-for-23 shooting), and he was just 1-for-5 from the field with four points in the first half.

That’s from a player who was a 55.3% shooter during the regular season.

He had a better second half and found success with an aggressive approach when the Thunder needed points.

But don’t forget: the Thunder had a 108-105 lead in the first overtime and had a chance to extend it to 110-105. The Spurs know it could’ve gone either way and expect a better Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 2.

“That game was in the balance multiple times for both teams,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said, adding, “He missed some shots that he’ll make. That’s unfortunately the control you give up when you play a player who’s that good. You just hope that they’ll miss, and you have to make sure it’s a little harder than the one before it.”

---

3. What can the Thunder get from Holmgren?

Through Oklahoma City’s first two playoff series, Chet Holmgren averaged 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals and shot 60% from the field.

He was perhaps the team’s best player in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In Game 1, Holmgren had a quiet eight points and eight rebounds. He attempted just seven shots, and his first attempt didn’t come until 42.4 seconds remained in the second quarter.

He had a great block on Wembanyama at the rim on the final shot of the fourth quarter that ensured overtime at 101-101.

Daigneault said better team offense will lead to more opportunities for Holmgren.

“It’s running better stuff, but also just collectively having a better intentionality and approach that’s going to give us more advantages (and) put the defense in more dilemmas,” Daigneault said. “He’s 7-1 and skilled, and when we do that, he’s going to show up in a big way. But it’s more of a reflection of our offense collectively. We’re going against a great defense that’s, like I said, an acquired taste.

“So we have to improve as the series goes on on both ends of the floor. I thought we did some good things on offense, especially in the second half. We’ve got to be collectively better, and everybody will benefit from that, including him.”

* * *

Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at jzillgitt@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.

What is “The Alley & Oop Show”?

The series follows the adventures of Alley, Oop, and their hoops-fanatic sidekick Buzzer as they take a trip around the country in the Hoopsmobile to different NBA cities to highlight standout players at each destination. Each city tells a different story through its culture, and the trio dives into challenges, storytelling and more to discover what makes each team and player unique.

When does the show premiere?

The series debuts May 22 on the NBA App and NBA YouTube channel.

Where can I watch it?

Fans can watch episodes on the NBA App and NBA YouTube.

What is the show about?

Each episode focuses on a different NBA city and player. Through games, storytelling and adventures, Alley, Oop and Buzzer discover what makes every team and community unique.

Who appears in the first episode?

The first episode will feature two-time All-Star Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs! The 2026 unanimous Kia Defensive Player of the Year will provide us with his tricks of the trade, as our trio dives into the rich history of the Spurs.

Who are the main characters?

Who is Alley?

Alley is regarded as the show’s hoops expert. She’s got the style, smarts and a little playoff sass to bring out the intricacies of the game. Oh, and she enjoys teasing Oop now and then. Learn more about Alley

Who is Oop?

Oop is our resident crazed hoops fan with aspirations of playing in the NBA when he grows up. He’s confident, energetic, always cracking jokes and always attempting to pull off his next highlight move. Keep in mind, though, he is a little clumsy, but that’s due to the excitement … most of the time. Learn more about Oop

Who is Buzzer?

Buzzer is our camera bird sidekick, who’s always buzzing around to film the action. He follows Alley & Oops’ adventures to make sure no moment goes unrecorded. From swooping to get the perfect shot or popping into frame for the funniest moments– he’s everywhere! Learn more about Buzzer

Editor’s Note: Read more NBA coverage from The Athletic here. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its teams. 

***

OKLAHOMA CITY — The first thing that went through Carter Bryant’s mind when he saw Victor Wembanyama’s shot heard around the world was the same as his teammates’ and likely any sensible person bearing witness, too.

“What the f—?”

Wembanyama put the entire Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on the line when he launched a shot from nearly 30 feet in the closing seconds of overtime Monday. The shot was from a location on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s court that marked the 3-point revolution. He pulled up right near the spot of the double bang, the legendary Steph Curry game-winner in 2016 that informed the world the sport had changed for good. A decade later, Wemby did it. Now the giants rule the perimeter, with no end in sight.

It was absurd, but the kind of absurd that he has normalized. And it was rewarded, tying the game and leading to an eventual win for the ages for the San Antonio Spurs, 122-115 in double overtime.

“I was running down the court and was like ‘Yoooo!’” teammate Julian Champagnie told The Athletic. “Then he hit that s— and I’m like, ‘Wow, he’s nice.’”

Wembanyama has earned enough trust that his team will proudly support his most audacious decisions. Much like Curry before him, there’s an expectation that he will do something that makes little sense, except that it’s him.

“He made that s—. He made that s—. Clutch. He got that clutch gene,” Champagnie said. “He’s confident in the work he puts in himself, and everybody in this room is confident that he is going to make the right choices more often than not. And I felt like in that moment, that was the right choice. We live and die by that.”

The Spurs knew what he was playing for, even beyond winning a title. This night had the juice of vengeance. Even if he wouldn’t say it, Wembanyama’s game declared that he is now the greatest player in the world. Owning a game at both ends the way he did, his time to rule the NBA is here.

“Do I feel like it right now? I feel tired,” Wembanyama said after finishing with 41 points and 24 rebounds. “But it’s not a question I’m wondering right now. We’ll see. The world is 8 billion people, so it’s 8 billion opinions.”

He watched the MVP trophy he so coveted fall into someone else’s hands. He made clear he felt the award was his back in Miami a few months ago and had a good case, just not good enough. He had only recently discovered his true form. Now the world has seen his full evolution.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received the trophy from NBA commissioner Adam Silver in front of his adoring home crowd, a city that holds him up like a king. Wembanyama could have looked out his hotel window the night before to see the letters SGA MVP lighting up skyscrapers downtown. He was stepping into the palace of the NBA’s current throne-sitter on a path that inevitably had to run through here.

As Gilgeous-Alexander received his trophy, Wembanyama sat on the bench, fixated on the court. It was the only place he had left to make his point. He peeked over briefly during the ceremony, then locked back in on the ground. Stephon Castle tried to crack a few jokes. Nothing. Wemby was on a mission.

Then the game started, and Wembanyama did what he does best: the things that nobody else can, and maybe nobody else ever has in one package. Fueled, not by something he needs to take away from his greatest competitor, but by a recognition he will have to earn every day, starting now.

When asked if watching Gilgeous-Alexander receive the trophy he wanted felt personal, Wembanyama simply said yes, agreeing with the entirety of the premise.

“We felt like that was his trophy,” Castle said. “I’m sure he felt the same way.”

“One hundred percent,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “To see another competitor with the trophy that he deserves — (SGA was) voted the winner. But if you’re a competitor and you see another competitor get rewarded with what you want — I don’t think it had any effect on the game that didn’t make him play harder than anyone else — but that’s motivational.”

Wembanyama’s response wasn’t just an unforgettable win in one of the great games in recent memory, but a piece of history, yet again. He became the youngest player with a 40-20 game in the playoffs. He is the seventh player to do it in the conference finals or later, regardless of age. The others are most of the greatest bigs of all time. Kareem, Wilt, Baylor, Barkley, Moses, Shaq. Now Vic.

They did it all in their primes. He is 22.

To watch Wembanyama is to witness history in the making. In this game, he had a lefty Kareem skyhook and a Shaq drop step into a power dunk over his defender. He did the things that the greatest did, all in one package. He is discovering everything from his potential, the reality of pressure, to the burden of expectation. Everything a human being can experience in the pursuit of excellence, he is going after it, yet none of it seems to be holding him back.

“It feels like I still got a lot to learn,” he said. “And I want to get that trophy many times in my career.”

Game 1 wasn’t necessarily great in every moment, but it was greatness in its totality. The inevitability that SGA delivers every single night was Wembanyama’s in this moment. Maybe it will be Wembanyama’s for a long time.

But this was the latest edition of Wemby’s GOAT-astic journey, the most convincing statement to date that he is the greatest player in the NBA. He’s had some massive performances in huge moments, but this was so much bigger than what he’s faced so far. The Thunder are incredible, their arena is deafening and their defense is eviscerating. They put a guard, Alex Caruso, on him almost the entire night, and it looked like one of the hardest assignments Wembanyama has ever faced.

This game was full of unthinkable plays, like when he fell backwards into a dunk on the roll, pulled up from the logo or just swallowed up a layup to end the game in the final seconds. He keeps learning different ways to use his unprecedented body and skill set, with a fearlessness that he can figure out things that nobody else does on the fly in the biggest moments.

When the season started, Wembanyama was a mess in some ways. His nights were erratic, as in control as they were haywire. There were bits and pieces of greatness, enough cobbled together for the Spurs to start winning early. But he never stopped trying to grow. He approached every game as the big chance to put it all together, steadily improving to the point that the team was elite once he found his equilibrium. Now, he walks into every situation with his head high and his chest forward, conquering nights like this that should be brutal initiations to championship-caliber basketball.

“I think that young man has a rare desire to step into every moment that’s in front of him,” Johnson said. ”Doesn’t mean they’ll always work out for him or be exactly the outcome that he wants, but he has some rare God-given ability.”

Wembanyama’s message on this night was not one of individual glory. He sought to tell the world that it should see the Spurs as a total package.

“The message would be that we as a team are ready to go in any environment in any place against anybody,” Wembanyama said. “And even though we still got a lot to learn, our effort should be over anyone else’s and tonight, we were relentless.”

But as Castle put it when he crashed Wembanyama’s postgame interview with NBC, they feel they have the biggest advantage out there.

“The best player in the f— ing world,” Castle said. “C’mon, boy!”

***

Jared Weiss is a staff writer covering the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama for The Athletic. He has covered the Celtics since 2011, co-founding CLNS Media Network while in college before covering the team for SB Nation’s CelticsBlog and USA Today. Before coming to The Athletic, Weiss spent a decade working for the government, primarily as a compliance bank regulator.

That’s it for Monday night!

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 Monday’s action.

Jalen Brunson (35 pts) and the Knicks dominated the 76ers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series, winning 137-98 while shooting 61.4% from the field.

Victor Wembanyama (11 pts, 15 reb, 12 blk) set the all-time record for blocks in a Playoff game, but the Timberwolves took Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinals series, surviving a game-winning 3-point attempt from Julian Champagnie to win 104-102.

What we know about Monday’s games:

• Teams that win Game 1 in the Conference Semifinals go on to win 73.6% of the time in the NBA Playoffs.
• Postgame Pressers:
• These series will reconvene Wednesday with a doubleheader on ESPN.
  • 76ers-Knicks, 7 ET
  • Timberwolves-Spurs, 9:30 ET

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1:00 ET / MAY 5, 2026

One time for Victor Wembanyama

WEMBY (22y, 120d): Youngest player in NBA history with a triple-double including blocks in a postseason game since ’73–74 👀

👽 11 PTS
👽 15 REB (postseason career-high)
👽 12 BLK (NBA postseason record)

Also becomes the first player in NBA history to record 10+ PTS, 15+ REB,… pic.twitter.com/uW02m4qfIK

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

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12:41 ET / MAY 5, 2026

One time for Anthony Edwards

ANT MAKES HIS RETURN, WOLVES SECURE WEST SEMIFINALS GAME 1 WIN ‼️

🐜 18 PTS (11 in 4Q)
🐜 8-13 FGM
🐜 25 MIN@Timberwolves will seek a 2-0 series lead on Wednesday at 9:30pm/et on ESPN 🍿

NBA Playoffs presented by @Google pic.twitter.com/EgndbOlAp0

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

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12:38 ET / MAY 5, 2026

Monday’s results

Victor Wembanyama (11 pts, 15 reb, 12 blk) is your top performer of the night, breaking the all-time record for blocks in a postseason game.

Mark Eaton (1985), Hakeem Olajuwon (1990) and Andrew Bynum (2012) previously held the record of 10.

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12:35 ET / MAY 5, 2026

Postgame Presser: Timberwolves-Spurs

LIVE: Timberwolves/Spurs Game 1 Postgame Presser

NBA Playoffs presented by @Google https://t.co/oyeTAOuERL

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

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12:13 ET / MAY 5, 2026

The Spurs had a shot, but the Timberwolves win

104-102, as Julian Champagnie (17 pts) got a look at a game-winning 3-pointer, but it was just wide.

“Great look, great balance, just off to the left,” said Jamal Crawford.

Anthony Edwards (18 pts, 11 in the fourth quarter) lifted the Timberwolves in his return game.

“Resilience — that’s what we’ve got,” said Edwards.

Victor Wembanyama (11 pts, 15 reb, 12 blk) had a historic night for the Spurs, but the Timberwolves held out to win.

The game, a tight affair throughout, saw 19 lead changes and 17 ties.

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12:10 ET / MAY 5, 2026

Spurs cut it to four

104-100 with 38 seconds to go, as Victor Wembanyama (11 pts, 15 reb, 12 blk) streaks to the rim and dunks on Jaden McDaniels to keep the Spurs alive.

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11:58 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Mike Conley Jr. from the corner

The Ohio State product (12 pts, 6 ast) has been breaking Spurs’ fans hearts for the better part of 15 years now.

He just knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Timberwolves a 95-86 lead with 4:09 remaining in Game 1.

Victor Wembanyama with his 12TH BLOCK of the game…

But, Mike Conley’s 👌 extends MIN’s lead to 9! pic.twitter.com/H7B1aUxf9F

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

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11:40 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Timberwolves take the lead

78-77, as Anthony Edwards (15 pts) hits a stepback 3-pointer over Victor Wembanyama. The Timberwolves are on an 16-7 run.

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11:34 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Kiss the sky, Keldon

Keldon Johnson (11 pts) just sank a buzzer-beating floater to give the Spurs a 72-69 lead after three quarters, delighting the fans in attendance at Frost Bank Center.

“Our Sixth Man of the Year,” said three-time Kia Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford. “Put it in the air and let God touch it first.”

Dylan Harper (16 pts) has continued his strong play, attacking the rim at will, while Jaden McDaniels (14 pts) has nearly matched him for the Timberwolves.

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11:25 ET / MAY 4, 2026

‘No dancing with the basketball’

Chris Finch advised his team, just before Victor Wembanyama (8 pts, 10 reb, 10 blk) set a franchise record for most blocks in a Playoff game, passing Tim Duncan, who had nine.

With the swat, Wemby tied Mark Eaton (1985), Hakeem Olajuwon (1990) and Andrew Bynum (2012) for most blocks in a Playoff game.

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11:11 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Spurs and Timberwolves in a tight one

Victor Wembanyama (8 pts, 10 reb, 3 ast, 8 blk) has been a terror on defense, but the Spurs and Timberwolves are tied at 55 with 6:00 to go in the third quarter.

“He balances humility and being so driven, all in the same player,” said Jamal Crawford of Wemby.

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11:00 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Postgame Presser: 76ers-Knicks

LIVE: 76ers/Knicks Game 1 Postgame Presser

NBA Playoffs presented by @Google https://t.co/lGpP3PDnxV

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

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10:55 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Knicks roll over 76ers 137-98

The Knicks dominated the 76ers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series, shooting 63.1% from the field on their way to the win.

Jalen Brunson (35 pts on 12-of-18 shooting) was locked in from the field, as were OG Anunoby (18 pts on 7-of-8 shooting), Mikal Bridges (17 pts on 7-of-10 shooting) and Karl-Anthony Towns (17 pts on 7-of-11 shooting).

New York went 19-of-37 (51.4%) from 3-point range, controlled the boards 39-28 and earned a 58-32 advantage in points in the paint.

Paul George (17 pts) was the top man for the Sixers.

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10:50 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Spurs, Timberwolves tied at 45 at the half

Dylan Harper (11 pts) leads all scorers, while Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Naz Reid each have 7 points to lead the Wolves.

It’s been a defensive battle so far — Minnesota’s shooting 41.7% from the field, while San Antonio’s at 38.1%.

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10:30 ET / MAY 4, 2026

6 blocks for Victor Wembanyama

Wemby (2 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast, 6 blk) and Rudy Gobert (6 pts, 8 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk) are battling in the paint as the Timberwolves and Spurs go back-and-forth on NBC and Peacock.

WEMBY: making plays for his teammates 👏

Keeps the dribble alive and finds Castle for 2.

Blocks the shot which leads to Champagnie’s 3. pic.twitter.com/uMZ6mTaOfm

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

The game’s seen nine lead changes and five ties so far, with both teams vying to establish an advantage.

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10:19 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Timberwolves, Spurs dueling

29-all with 8:48 to go in the second quarter in San Antonio.

Stephon Castle (10 pts) leads all scorers, while Anthony Edwards (7 pts on 3-of-4 shooting) looks comfortable in his first game back from injury.

Ant’s first two buckets in his return:

Tough fadeaway.
Top of the key 3.

Watch Wolves/Spurs Game 1 on Peacock and NBCSN! pic.twitter.com/EwJbTawrpp

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

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9:48 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Timberwolves and Spurs underway

Starting off with a bang on NBC and Peacock, as the two best French centers of the generation square off.

WEMBY BLOCK.
GOBERT BLOCK.
WEMBY BLOCK.

WHAT A START TO GAME 1 IN SAN ANTONIO ‼️ pic.twitter.com/QNDiFg89Tr

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

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9:35 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Starting Lineups: Timberwolves-Spurs, Game 1

Minnesota:

• PG Mike Conley
  • The 19-year veteran is no stranger to playing the Spurs in the Playoffs, facing them three times with the Grit ‘N Grind Grizzlies, including eliminating them in 2011.
• SG Terrance Shannon Jr.
  • Shannon Jr. has shown hustle and offensive spark in limited minutes, including 24 points in the Timberwolves’ series-clinching Game 6 win over the Nuggets.
• SF Jaden McDaniels
  • McDaniels locked down Jamal Murray in the first round, holding him to 31.9% shooting over 227 possessions.
• PF Julius Randle
  • Randle was held to 18.0 ppg against the Spurs this season. Minnesota will likely need more from him with Anthony Edwards returning from injury.
• C Rudy Gobert
  • Gobert has known Victor Wembanyama since he was 13 years old, earning a silver medal with Wemby at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

San Antonio:

• PG Stephon Castle
  • Castle’s become a crucial initiator, scorer and defender in his second season. He should have a strong series against the Timberwolves’ depleted backcourt, although Rudy Gobert will be a stifling obstacle in the paint.
• SG De’Aaron Fox
  • Fox will also have to find his way past the Timberwolves’ top rim protector. He’s the main isolation scorer for San Antonio, non-Wemby division, putting up a team-leading 59.5% of his points without an assist.
• SF Devin Vassel
  • Vassel is scoring 39.1% of his points from midrange during the Playoffs — by far the most in the league.
• PF Julian Champagnie
  • The St. John’s product has become a stalwart for the Spurs, playing in all 82 games in each of the last two seasons. Will he be able to handle Julius Randle in this series?
• C Victor Wembanyama
  • He’s the Alien. He’s blocking 4.0 shots per game in the Playoffs — no one else is over 2.3.

---

9:25 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Blazing on Broadway

Jalen Brunson (27 pts) scored the last 11 points for the Knicks, who take a 74-53 lead into the break.

“Just being aggressive moving the ball, and then being aggressive, getting in the paint,” said OG Anunoby (13 pts) of the Knicks 32-16 advantage in point in the paint.

Tyrese Maxey (13 pts) is one of four double-digit scorers for the Sixers.

New York played 11 players in the first half, demonstrating their depth.

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9:14 ET / MAY 4, 2026

New York building a lead

55-39 with 3:46 to go in the half, as Karl-Anthony Towns (10 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast) helps the Knicks build a 24-8 advantage in points in the paint.

Karl-Anthony Towns finds Jose Alvarado for the reverse!

Cut towards the basket, and you might get rewarded 💯 pic.twitter.com/4uvbtOAk6G

— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2026

OG Anunoby (13 pts on 5-of-6 shooting) has gotten loose in the period as well.

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8:55 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Knicks lead 33-25 after one

New York has a 12-2 advantage in points in the paint early, as the Knicks take control on their home floor in Madison Square Garden.

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8:30 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Brunson off to a hot start

Jalen Brunson (14 pts, 6-of-7 shooting) is dictating the offense early, as the Knicks lead 21-19 with 3:39 to go in the first quarter. He’s gone at Paul George and Quentin Grimes in recent possessions.

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7:30 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Starting Lineup: 76ers-Knicks, Game 1

Philadelphia

• PG Tyrese Maxey
  • Who will guard Tyrese Maxey? Mikal Bridges would seem like the best bet. In the regular season, Bridges logged 18:48 against Maxey — second-most in the Association — giving up 20 points on 10-of-20 shooting.
• SG VJ Edgecombe
  • Edgecombe was a crucial swing factor in the Sixers’ wins over the Celtics. He was 0-for-16 in their three losses and 15-of-43 (45.4%) in their wins.
• SF Paul George
  • The Anunoby-Paul George matchup will be fascinating to watch. George has outscored Anunoby 20.5 to 13.0 in their previous games, holding an 8-5 record. Can OG swing it on the downside of George’s career?
• PF Kelly Oubre Jr.
  • Oubre Jr. is always an irritant, and a talented scorer on the right night. He and Josh Hart could battle to make energy plays in this series.
• C Joel Embiid
  • Embiid played inspired basketball against the Celtics, culminating in 34 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in Game 7. Can he keep up his form against the formidable Knicks?

New York:

• PG Jalen Brunson
  • Who will guard Jalen Brunson? VJ Edgecombe, who shut down Derrick White in the second half of the Sixers’ Game 7 victory over the Celtics, has the size, strength, activity level and length to disrupt the Knicks’ captain.
• SG Josh Hart
  • In wins this season, Hart averaged 13.0 ppg, 7.8 reb and 5.0 ast. In losses, 10.0 ppg, 6.6 reb and 4.4 ast.
• SF Mikal Bridges
  • A native of Philadelphia, Bridges was drafted by the 76ers in 2018 before dealt to the Phoenix Suns. Six years later, he suits up against his hometown squad.
• PF OG Anunoby
  • Anunoby shot 56.7% from 3-point range in the Knicks’ series against the Atlanta Hawks on his way to 21.1 ppg.
• C Karl-Anthony Towns
  • Two of the games’ best centers go head-to-head in this series, as Towns faces Joel Embiid. They’ve been physical in past matchups. Will sparks fly tonight?

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7:00 ET / MAY 4, 2026

Monday’s injury report

Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are available for the 76ers, while Jeremy Sochan is available for the Knicks.

Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosumu are out for the Timberwolves, while Anthony Edwards is available.