The New York Knicks celebrate their Conference Finals berth.
In the latest edition of NBA Weekly, our Flashscore editors look back at the past seven days, highlighting their favorite moments from the world’s premier basketball league.
Here are the biggest stories that caught our editors’ attention last week:
**From High to Low: Sixers Crumbled in the Series**
A week ago, the Philadelphia 76ers were euphoric after a massive Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics, sending the favorites home and advancing to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Over the first weekend of May, Philly was on top of the world. In just one week, everything changed.
Full of confidence, the Sixers were ready to make noise against the third-seeded New York Knicks in a heated East Coast rivalry matchup. After taking down the No. 2 Celtics, Embiid and company felt invincible.
But the Knicks gave them no chance. New York continued its impressive playoff run and swept the Sixers in style.
After beating the Celtics, Philadelphia’s goal was clear: reach the Conference Finals. They needed their fans’ energy. “I only have one message for our fans,” Embiid said before the series started. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you.”
Instead, the crowd turned on the Sixers as their performance flipped 180 degrees from the first round. They struggled to shoot consistently, while the Knicks fired with confidence and burned them offensively.
New York was superior in every aspect, sweeping the 76ers in four games and crushing their hopes of another upset. After such an electrifying start to the postseason, Philly suffered a devastating blow that nobody saw coming.
**Wolves Fight Back, Spurs Series Turns Into a War**
The second-round matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs is quickly becoming one of the most physical and unpredictable series of the postseason.
With the series tied 2-2, momentum shifted again after Minnesota escaped with a 114-109 victory in Game 4 despite major injury setbacks.
After missing time early in the playoffs, Anthony Edwards looked like himself again and led the Timberwolves when it mattered most. The All-Star guard scored 36 points, 16 of them in the fourth quarter, taking over the win.
Recent Spurs-Wolves duels continue to escalate.
The Timberwolves, however, continue to pay a heavy physical price. Minnesota has already lost Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the postseason after the guard suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the series.
Minnesota’s supporting cast delivered once again. Naz Reid finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Rudy Gobert added 11 points and 13 rebounds. Julius Randle contributed 12 points and eight rebounds as the Timberwolves controlled key stretches inside.
The most important moment of the night came in the second quarter when Victor Wembanyama was ejected after committing a Flagrant 2 foul, striking Reid in the neck with his right elbow during a physical sequence under the basket, leaving San Antonio without its defensive anchor for the rest of the game.
Even without Wembanyama, the Spurs continued to fight behind their young core. Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox led San Antonio’s efforts.
