Sports
Knicks chase sweep of 76ers as conference finals beckon
May 8, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots in front of Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) during the second quarter of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Even without their lineup at full strength, the New York Knicks are showing they are on a different level than the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks will try to sweep their best-of-seven second-round playoff series when they visit the Sixers in Game 4 on Sunday.
New York, the No. 3 seed, is looking to reach back-to-back Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1999-2000. The Knicks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in last year’s conference finals and are determined to make amends for that setback despite currently playing without one of their top performers.
Versatile New York forward OG Anunoby (hamstring) missed Game 3 and will be a game-time decision for Game 4. Without him, Brunson scored a team-high 33 points and dished out nine assists in Friday’s 108-94 win, while Mikal Bridges pitched in 23 points.
“It was definitely a team effort,” Brunson said. “Obviously, we want everyone back healthy. But it was important for everyone to step up and have the right mindset — to do whatever you gotta do to win.”
Philadelphia, the No. 7 seed, pulled a first-round upset against the Boston Celtics but appears to be running out of gas in this series. The Sixers’ stars are all playing heavy minutes and the team has wilted in the fourth quarter in back-to-back games.
In Game 3, Philadelphia managed only 18 points in the fourth quarter, while shooting 35.0% from the floor in the closing 12 minutes. Two days earlier, the 76ers totaled 12 fourth-quarter points on 21.1% shooting in the period of a 108-102 setback at New York.
Now, the Sixers will try to become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
“You add a game to it,” Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey said of the looming task. “We had to win three in a row (in the first round against Boston) and now we’re going to have to win four in a row. It’s still a great challenge. You’ve got to go do it. Either you don’t play with any pride and you get swept on your home floor in the second round of the playoffs, or you play with some pride and you win one game at a time.”
Philadelphia hopes that Joel Embiid (ankle/hip) will be ready to take the court for Game 4. The Sixers’ center missed Game 2 and returned for Game 3, where he registered 18 points in 35 minutes. However, he only managed six rebounds as Philadelphia was clobbered 49-33 on the boards.
“We know what he’s going through,” said Sixers wing Paul George, who poured in 15 first-quarter points but didn’t score again. “We know how tough it is on his body and the work he’s putting in to get prepared to try to come out and play. We appreciate it. I think the fans appreciate it, Philadelphia appreciates it. It means a lot to see 21 suited up and giving it a go.”
Whether or not Embiid or Anunoby can play, the Knicks will lean into their trademark intensity. That aggressiveness has led them within one win of the conference finals.
“That’s just what our identity is,” said New York forward Josh Hart, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds in Game 3. “We continue to give something game after game and that’s energy. That’s what we strive to have, that energy, that physicality, that attention to detail and focus.
“We try to have that every game. We need to do that game after game after game.”
–Field Level Media
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NBA Playoff Bet Picks: Spurs vs. Timberwolves & Knicks vs. 76ers Predictions
May 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts during the first quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Victor Wembanyama is on the fast track to super stardom and doesn’t seem to want to wait his turn. Instead of reaching top-five player status in his mid-20s, the San Antonio Spurs’ big man is taking over at just 22 and he’s rattled most of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Spurs lead the Western Conference second-round series 2-1 entering Sunday’s Game 4 in Minneapolis. Wemby has blocked 19 shots in the series – including a postseason-record 12 in Game 1 – and altered countless others.
The New York Knicks are looking to close out their Eastern Conference second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Philadelphia rallied from a 3-1 deficit to slay the Boston Celtics in the first round but no NBA teams have ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit as the 76ers face.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS AT MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Wembanyama put on a show for the ages in San Antonio’s 115-108 win in Game 3 by recording 39 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots. That made him just the fourth different player in NBA history to produce at least 35 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in a playoff game since the NBA began tracking blocks at the start of the 1973-74 season.
The others in that club are Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal (three times), Hakeem Olajuwon (three times) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (twice). Wemby was impressed — “It’s good to be along with the big fellas,” he said – and he’s listed at (27-plus points, -113), (13-plus rebounds, -112) and (five-plus blocks, +127) for Game 4.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who was limited in the first two games with a hyperextended left knee, was lethal on Friday with 32 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Minnesota is going to need some big efforts from Edwards (26-plus points, -106) to win this series, starting with Game 4.
It will be interesting to see how much the Timberwolves rely on Julius Randle (18-plus points, -111) and Jaden McDaniels (17-plus points, -108) after their anemic shooting outings in Game 3. Not sure if ‘Wembyitis’ is an official term but McDaniels (17 points) was just 5-of-22 shooting and Randle (12) made only 3 of 12 shots.
Spurs minus 4.5-point spread, -115 (DraftKings)
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NEW YORK KNICKS AT PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
New York has won six consecutive playoff games after posting a 108-94 victory in Friday’s Game 3 at Philadelphia. Completing the sweep would give the Knicks plenty of rest before the conference finals but the 76ers figure to put up a good fight.
Look, everybody knew New York would win the series after it steamrolled Philadelphia by 39 points in Game 1. But the heart the 76ers showed in the Boston series was impressive so avoiding the sweep and not having the series end at home does provide motivation.
However, Jalen Brunson (28-plus points, -106) has done whatever he’s wanted in this series with outputs of 35, 26 and 33 points. OG Anunoby (hamstring) missed Game 3 and is questionable for Sunday and that’s tough news for Philadelphia if he plays as he’s shooting 61.9% from the field and averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in eight postseason games.
Sixers star Joel Embiid (26-plus points, -122) has fared well after an appendectomy gave him a late start this postseason and Tyrese Maxey (25-plus points, -117) figures to go all out. Look for Philadelphia to survive to play one more time this season.
76ers plus 1.5-point spread, -110 (DraftKings)
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Sports
Twins recall LHP Kendry Rojas, option LHP Kody Funderburk
Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Kendry Rojas (60) pitches against the New York Mets during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins recalled Kendry Rojas from Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday and optioned fellow left-hander Kody Funderburk to the affiliate.
Rojas will be making his second stint with the Twins this season. He made his major league debut on April 22 and allowed two hits and three walks over two scoreless innings in a no-decision against the New York Mets.
Rojas, 23, is 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA in six appearances (two starts) with St. Paul.
Funderburk, 29, is 1-1 with one save and a 2.81 ERA in 19 relief appearances this season with Minnesota. He has pitched in 96 games for the Twins since 2023 and owns three saves and 20 holds.
–Field Level Media
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Yankees recall All-Star LHP Carlos Rodon
Feb 13, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) works out during spring training practices at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images The New York Yankees returned left-hander Carlos Rodon from his minor league rehab assignment on Sunday and reinstated him from the 15-day injured list.
Rodon is expected to make the start on Sunday in Milwaukee as New York attempts to avoid a sweep in the three-game series.
In a corresponding move, the club optioned right-handed reliever Kervin Castro to Triple A-Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Rodon, 33, had loose particles removed from his left elbow in addition to the reduction of a bone spur on Oct. 15, just days after the Yankees’ season ended.
He set a career high with 33 starts in 2025, posting a record of 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA. He earned All-Star accolades and finished 10th in MLB with 203 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.05.
According to Inside Edge, his batting-average against at home was .154, best in MLB.
He did struggle in a pair of postseason starts, allowing nine runs in 8 1/3 innings.
Rodon made three minor league rehab starts without a decision and put up a 3.38 ERA. That ERA ballooned after his final tune-up for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, when he allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings in an 83-pitch outing. He walked two and struck out four.
“This being probably my third time through a lengthy rehab process, I have some experience, although most people don’t want to really say that,” Rodon told the New York Post on Saturday. “Just (leaning) back on those times and working on the craft and trying to get back here and help the team.”
Rodon is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA in five career starts vs. Milwaukee. He has beaten the Brewers in his lone start against them each of the last two seasons, allowing a combined two runs on six hits in 11 1/3 innings.
Rodon enters his 12th major league campaign and fourth with the Yankees.
A three-time All-Star, Rodon has a career record of 93-72 with a 3.73 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. In 231 appearances (226 starts), the Miami, Fla. native has fanned 1,409 batters and walked 477 in 1282 innings.
Castro appeared in only one game for New York, allowing one earned run in two innings in the 6-0 loss to Milwaukee on Friday.
–Field Level Media
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