Wemby lifts Spurs to 2-1 lead; Knicks go 3-0

NEW YORK (AFP) — A dominant Victor Wembanyama powered the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-108 win over Minnesota and a 2-1 lead in their National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff series Friday, as the red-hot New York Knicks beat Philadelphia again for a 3-0 advantage.

A defensive menace all night, French superstar Wembanyama took a tight, tense and physical game out of the Timberwolves’ grasp with a stunning offensive fourth quarter including 16 points.

The 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.

“I’m built for this. I love this more than anything else,” Wembanyama said.

He added: “We got the talent. We got the depth. We don’t got the experience, but we don’t care... We can go to the very top if we play like tonight consistently.”

Minnesota had been boosted by the return of their own talisman, Anthony Edwards, to the starting lineup.

Edwards shone in the Timberwolves’ game-one upset win but, still recovering from a knee injury, had managed just 12 points from the bench in game two’s thrashing.