They secured a 115-108 win to take 2-1 lead in NBA playoffs
\n NEW YORK
\nA dominant Victor Wembanyama powered the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-108 win over Minnesota and a 2-1 lead in their NBA playoff series Friday, as the red-hot New York Knicks beat Philadelphia again for a 3-0 advantage.
\nA defensive menace all night, French superstar Wembanyama took a tight, tense and physical game out of the Timberwolves\u2019 grasp with a stunning offensive fourth quarter including 16 points.
\nThe 7-foot-4 prodigy, playing his first NBA post-season, finished the night in Minneapolis with 39 points overall, plus 15 rebounds and five blocks.
\n\u201cI\u2019m built for this. I love this more than anything else,\u201d said Wembanyama.
\nHe added: \u201cWe got the talent. We got the depth. We don\u2019t got the experience, but we don\u2019t care… We can go to the very top if we play like tonight consistently.\u201d
\nMinnesota had been boosted by the return of their own talisman, Anthony Edwards, to the starting lineup.
\nEdwards shone in the Timberwolves\u2019 game-one upset win but, still recovering from a knee injury, had managed just 12 points from the bench in game two\u2019s thrashing.
\nHe immediately returned to inspired form, playing aggressive yet patient basketball to finish with 32 points, 14 rebounds and six assists \u2014 but it was ultimately not quite enough.
\nThe Timberwolves started dismally, missing their first 12 field goal attempts.
\nWembanyama shone defensively, with two big early blocks setting the tone, and forcing Minnesota to score from outside the paint.
\nThe Timberwolves fought back, and the game was tied 51-51 at halftime.
\nSuperstars Edwards and Wembanyama dominated the first half\u2019s scoring, managing 19 and 16 apiece, with everyone else combined shooting barely 30 percent from the field.
\nAfter the break, the game grew angry. As Jaden McDaniels and Dylan Harper tussled for a ball, a falling Harper\u2019s head collided with McDaniels\u2019 knee.
\nMoments later, McDaniels and Stephon Castle shoved each other, drawing multiple players on both sides into a fracas.
\nBut Wembanyama kept his cool and finished strong, scoring two long-range three-pointers to seal the win.
\n\u201cGreatness,\u201d said teammate De\u2019Aaron Fox, of Wembanyama\u2019s showing.
\n\u201cTeams are going to come out here and try to be physical with him. He fights through that, he doesn\u2019t complain, he knows what he\u2019s going to endure,\u201d he added.
\n\u201cHe comes out here and he produces.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They secured a 115-108 win to take 2-1 lead in NBA playoffs NEW YORK A dominant Victor Wembanyama powered the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-108 win over Minnesota and a 2-1 lead in their NBA playoff series Friday, as the red-hot New York Knicks beat Philadelphia again for a 3-0 advantage. A defensive menace […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":545594,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-545583","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n