Wembanyama shines with 35 as Spurs beat Blazers
Victor Wembanyama delivered a standout performance in his playoff debut, scoring 35 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 111-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series on Sunday night.
Wembanyama scored 21 points in the first half, setting an NBA record for the most points in the opening half of a playoff debut since the league’s play-by-play era began in 1997, News.Az reports, citing AP.
His total of 35 points also established a new Spurs franchise record for a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan’s 32 points set in 1998.
“It is obviously different, but we’ve been really good in the regular season,” Wembanyama said. “So, we have no reason to act differently or do anything different.”
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday night in San Antonio before the matchup shifts to Portland for Games 3 and 4.
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Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox each contributed 17 points for San Antonio, and together they recorded 15 assists.
Deni Avdija led Portland with 30 points and 10 rebounds. The Trail Blazers secured the No. 7 seed after defeating Phoenix 114-110 in Tuesday’s play-in game.
Scoot Henderson, selected third overall in the 2023 NBA Draft behind Wembanyama and Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, added 18 points for Portland.
San Antonio matched Portland’s physical approach while limiting the Trail Blazers to 10-for-38 shooting from three-point range. The Spurs also held a 45-38 advantage in rebounds.
“The Spurs put you in tough positions,” Portland coach Tiago Splitter said. “Against them, you've got to shoot the ball well from 3s. We didn't. We've got to shoot the ball better.”
The game at the Frost Bank Center marked San Antonio’s first playoff appearance since 2019, ending a six-season postseason absence that followed a run of five NBA championships and 22 consecutive playoff appearances. The sell-out crowd included Tim Duncan and fellow Hall of Famer David Robinson seated courtside.
Spurs fans are once again optimistic, fueled by their 7-foot-4 French star, who is a finalist for both the NBA’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Among Wembanyama’s highlights was a sequence in the first quarter where he dribbled behind his back to evade Avdija at halfcourt, backed him down near the top of the key, spun past him, and finished with a two-handed dunk.
San Antonio tightened its defense in the third quarter to restore a double-digit lead, with Devin Vassell blocking shots by Donovan Clingan and Jrue Holiday while also scoring eight consecutive points.
“That’s what we’ve talked about, just not giving up on the play,” Vassell said. “Every possession matters, whether it’s the first possession in the first quarter or the last possession in the fourth quarter. Play to the whistle.”
By Nijat Babayev
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