Spurs Eliminate Trail Blazers To Secure First Playoff Series Win Since 2017

Three NBA playoff series swung sharply on Tuesday night, with the San Antonio Spurs advancing and the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers moving within one win of the second round after dominant Game 5 performances built around strong defensive stretches and standout scoring displays.

The Spurs reached the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017, while the Knicks seized a 3-2 advantage over the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers cut Boston’s lead to 3-2, forcing Game 6 in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Joel Embiid delivered 33 points in Game 5, his second appearance since an emergency appendectomy, as the 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 113-97 to stay alive. Boston still leads 3-2, but Game 6 on Thursday in Philadelphia now becomes a decisive test after the Celtics previously won Games 3 and 4 there.

Boston began the fourth quarter ahead 86-85, yet managed only 11 points in the final period. Philadelphia produced a 12-0 surge, capped by a VJ Edgecombe three-pointer that stretched the lead to 109-94 with 2:25 left. The Celtics shot 3-for-22 in the quarter, including 3-of-7 at the line, for 13.6% overall, their worst single-quarter mark since 2022.

San Antonio closed out Portland with a 114-95 victory, never falling behind in Game 5 and clinching the series 4-1. Victor Wembanyama had 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks, while De'Aaron Fox scored 21, Julian Champagnie 19 and Dylan Harper 17 as the Spurs led by as many as 28 during their third consecutive win.

The result sends San Antonio to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since it defeated the Houston Rockets in 2017 before losing Kawhi Leonard to an ankle injury and then being swept by Golden State. The Spurs now await the Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves; Minnesota leads that series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday.

San Antonio’s recovery from the decline that followed Leonard’s injury and trade was underlined by Wembanyama’s influence. The 7-foot-4 centre from France helped halt an 11-0 Portland run that trimmed the margin to 91-82 with eight minutes left, highlighted by Wembanyama launching Deni Avdija’s late floater off the top of the backboard and into the crowd as Portland finished 23% from three-point range.

NBA playoffs Knicks vs Hawks offensive surge

In New York, Jalen Brunson powered the Knicks to a 126-97 home win over Atlanta, giving the Knicks a 3-2 series lead. Brunson scored 39 points, narrowly missing another 40-point playoff outing, as New York recorded a second straight one-sided victory and moved within one win of progressing on Thursday in Atlanta, with a possible Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden.

Atlanta had claimed a 2-1 advantage through one-point victories in Games 2 and 3, but the gap between the teams widened dramatically. The Knicks prevailed 114-98 in Game 4 in Atlanta, leading by 24, then went ahead by 32 in Game 5, with their advantage never dropping below double figures after half-time. Brunson had not scored 30 in the series before hitting 17 in the fourth quarter, preventing any Hawks comeback.

OG Anunoby supplied 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 16 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Knicks, who are aiming to reach the second round for a fourth consecutive season, their best run since nine straight trips from 1991-92 through 1999-2000. Jalen Johnson’s 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Dyson Daniels’ 17 points were not enough, with CJ McCollum limited to six.

NBA playoffs 76ers vs Celtics key numbers

Embiid scored 18 of his 33 points after half-time and added eight assists in 39 minutes, anchoring Philadelphia’s attack. Tyrese Maxey posted 25 points and 10 rebounds, with Quentin Grimes hitting four three-pointers on the way to 18 points off the bench for the No. 7-seeded 76ers. Paul George logged a game-high 43 minutes, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 24 points and 16 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown contributed 22 points, yet the pair combined for only two points in the fourth quarter, with neither making a field goal during that period. Their late struggles mirrored the team’s wider offensive drop, sending the series back to Philadelphia with the momentum shifting slightly toward the 76ers.

Across these NBA playoffs Game 5s, San Antonio secured a place in the conference semifinals, New York moved within touching distance of the second round and Philadelphia extended its season, leaving the Nuggets–Timberwolves, Knicks–Hawks and Celtics–76ers series as key storylines for fans tracking the evolving bracket.