SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs defeated Portland Trail Blazers 111-98 in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference NBA playoffs, powered by a spectacular Victor Wembanyama, who scored 35 points in his playoff debut. The French center also broke several franchise records in a special night for the Texas franchise.
The wait is over for San Antonio Spurs, who had not played an NBA playoff game since 2019. With the Frost Bank Center packed and legends like Tim Duncan and David Robinson present courtside, the team responded from the opening tip led by their new superstar.
Victor Wembanyama came out firing. The French center scored 21 points in the first half, the most points in a playoff debut first half since modern play-by-play records began (1997). His plays combined physical dominance, coordination, and technical skill, including a transition sequence in which he got past Deni Avdija, attacked off the dribble, and finished with a two-handed dunk.
In the first quarter, Stephon Castle and Wembanyama set the offensive pace for San Antonio Spurs, combining for 19 of the team's 30 points. Portland Trail Blazers hung on as best they could thanks to Avdija's work and Scoot Henderson's effort, but the home team had already taken control.
The game briefly shifted after halftime. Portland opened the second half with an 8-0 run, capped by a three-pointer and a fast-break layup from Henderson, cutting a deficit that had reached 16 points down to a tight 59-57.
https://youtu.be/D5PAnsY43xo?si=Iag2O2wL8pseDEWA
That's when San Antonio Spurs showed competitive maturity. Defense ramped up several notches and the team pulled away again. In a single possession, Luke Kornet and Devin Vassell blocked Donovan Clingan twice, a sequence that ignited the arena. Shortly after, Vassell hit two consecutive three-pointers to open a 72-61 lead and put the game firmly out of reach.
There were no scares down the stretch. Victor Wembanyama closed his performance with 35 points, a new franchise record for a playoff debut, surpassing the 32 Tim Duncan had in 1998. Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox contributed 17 points each and combined for 15 assists.
For Portland Trail Blazers, Deni Avdija led the way with 30 points and 10 rebounds, while Scoot Henderson added 18. However, the seventh seed could not find enough consistency to keep pace with one of the West's most solid teams.
San Antonio Spurs takes a 1-0 series lead and reinforces the hope of a fanbase that is dreaming big again. Game 2 will also be played in Texas before the series travels to Portland.