Spurs cruise past Blazers to reach Western Conference semifinals
Victor Wembanyama recorded 17 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks as the San Antonio Spurs led from start to finish in a 114–95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, sealing their first-round playoff series in Game 5, News.Az reports, citing AP.
De’Aaron Fox contributed 21 points, Julian Champagnie added 19, and Dylan Harper scored 17 as San Antonio stretched its lead to as many as 28 points while securing its third consecutive win to move on to the next round.
The Spurs have now reached the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017, when they defeated the Houston Rockets before losing Kawhi Leonard to an ankle injury and subsequently being swept by the Golden State Warriors in the conference finals.
San Antonio will next face the winner of the series between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota currently holds a 3–2 lead, with Game 6 set for Thursday.
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Leonard’s injury and eventual departure marked the beginning of a downturn for the Spurs, a period that ultimately positioned them to draft Wembanyama. The 7-foot-4 French center delivered a standout performance to close out the series.
Portland narrowed the gap to 91–82 with eight minutes remaining after an 11–0 run. However, San Antonio halted the momentum, highlighted by Wembanyama blocking Deni Avdija’s floater off the backboard and into the crowd in the closing minutes.
Avdija finished with 22 points but struggled from beyond the arc, going 1-for-6, as Portland shot just 23% from three-point range.
Scoot Henderson added five points for Portland, after being limited to 10 points following a late third-quarter altercation with Harper during San Antonio’s 120–108 Game 3 win on Saturday.
The series featured several physical confrontations between the second-seeded Spurs and the seventh-seeded Trail Blazers.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson emphasized the need to avoid early double-digit deficits, as seen in Games 3 and 4. His team responded with a strong 17–4 opening run, powered by two three-pointers and eight early points from Champagnie.
Champagnie ended the night shooting 5-for-7 from long range, helping San Antonio finish with 40% shooting from beyond the arc.
Portland responded with a 9–0 run to reduce the deficit, but San Antonio quickly regained control. Devin Vassell blocked a dunk attempt by Donovan Clingan, leading to a three-point play by Luke Kornet that extended the lead to 64–37.
Even when Portland disrupted San Antonio’s offensive rhythm, the Spurs continued to convert. Late in the third quarter, Stephon Castle secured a rebound under the basket and passed to Wembanyama, who completed a contested layup for a three-point play, pushing the lead to 84–61.
By Nijat Babayev
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