The New York Knicks took a 3-0 lead against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, and now they have a chance to advance to the conference finals for the second consecutive season. For the Sixers, who have struggled in a variety of ways throughout the series, it’s win or go home.
Victor Wembanyama has arguably been the best player in the postseason, and his San Antonio Spurs can take control of their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. They’re up 2-1 heading into Game 4, and Wembanyama is coming off a 39-point, 15-rebound, five-block performance.
Here’s the schedule and a prediction for each matchup:
NBA games today: May 10 playoff schedule
Odds via FanDuel, all times ET
- Game 4: New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers (+1.5), 3:30 p.m. — ABC
- Game 4: San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves (+5.5), 7:30 p.m. — NBC/Peacock
Knicks at 76ers Game 4 prediction
New York has been impressive on both ends against Philadelphia, and at this point, I’m not sure if the Sixers have enough in the tank to avoid a sweep. Joel Embiid is giving his team what he has, but he’s clearly compromised, which is creating problems on defense and on the boards. Tyrese Maxey may be compromised, too, thanks to a finger injury that appears to be affecting his pull-up shooting. The version of Philly that won three straight games against Boston could have given the Knicks problems, but we haven’t seen that team in the second round. Pick: Knicks (-1.5)
Spurs at Timberwolves Game 4 prediction
Game 3 wasn’t a total rout, but I continue to question whether Minnesota can score enough against this San Antonio defense. In this series, the Timberwolves have managed a miserable 76 points per 100 possessions in the halfcourt, per Cleaning the Glass. I feel a bit nervous about this pick because Chris Finch has a knack for playoff adjustments, but I’m afraid the Wolves might be drawing dead in this matchup. Pick: Spurs (-5.5)
