NBA Playoffs: Wolves spoil Wembanyama's record-setting night in San Antonio as Knicks strike first against exhausted 76ers

The Minnesota Timberwolves soured a historic night for Victor Wembanyama, who broke the Celtics NBA playoff record for blocked shots, with an unexpected 104-102 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the opener of the conference semifinals. In the East, the New York Knicks cruised past the exhausted Philadelphia 76ers 137-98, buoyed by a 35-point, 31-minute performance from Jalen Brunson.

Wembanyama delivered a stratospheric defensive performance with 12 blocks, erasing the previous highest mark of 10 shared by Mark Eaton (1985), Hakeem Olajuwon (1990) and Andrew Bynum (2012).

The French phenom completed an unusual triple double, adding 11 points and 15 rebounds to go with his blocks, along with five assists.

On offense, however, Wemby was very inaccurate with a total of 5-17 shooting from the field and 0-8 on three-pointers in his expected first postseason duel against compatriot and mentor Rudy Gobert, who finished with 7 points and 10 rebounds.

"I have to start by taking and putting up shots, using my energy better. I've used it a lot on one side of the court. On offense I've also spent energy on things that don't serve my team, it's my fault," a self-critical Wemby said at a press conference.

A flamboyant Defensive Player of the Year, Wemby posted his 11th block with eight minutes, 29 seconds left in the game, when the scoreboard pointed to a slim 82-81 lead for his team.

But the Wolves, who already shocked the Denver Nuggets in the first round, did not stop fighting following the example of their star, Anthony Edwards, who returned to the court after an express recovery from a hyperextension of his left knee. The shooting guard, who missed the last two games against Denver, contributed to the win with 18 points in 22 minutes played off the bench.

Brunson's Knicks abuse a depleted Sixers

In New York, Joel Embiid's Sixers paid for their first-round overexertion against the Boston Celtics, in which they eliminated the East's No. 2 seed in Game 7 on Saturday after rallying from a 3-1 deficit.

On a festive night at Madison Square Garden, Sixers coach Nick Nurse, pulled starters Embiid (14 points), Tyrese Maxey (13) and Paul George (17) midway through the third quarter when the home team's lead was already hovering around 30 points.

The Knicks, more rested after defeating the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, were an offensive hurricane at the start of the game with a 68% efficiency in the first quarter. At the helm of the local operations was Brunson, who scored 14 of his team's 33 points in that first period and 27 at halftime, including a spectacular three-pointer at the buzzer.

"We have to focus now on the next game. We're back to 0-0. Winning by 1 point or by 30 still counts as one win. We have to keep going," said the Knicks captain, who is aiming to reach his first Finals since 1999.