SAN ANTONIO – Victor Wembanyama delivered a standout performance, contributing 17 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks, as the San Antonio Spurs convincingly defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 114-95 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. This victory allowed the Spurs to eliminate the Trail Blazers and advance to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017.
Alongside Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox led the scoring with 21 points, while Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper added 19 and 17 points, respectively. The Spurs, who dominated the match, led by as many as 28 points, marking their third consecutive win in the best-of-seven series.
“We didn’t want to go back to Portland,” Champagnie stated, emphasizing the team’s motivation to finish the series at home. “That was kind of the emphasis for the guys on the team. We just didn’t want to fly back to Portland. It’s a four-hour flight. So being up 3-1 and playing at home, it’s a good chance to close it out and not go back. So, that was all of the motivation we needed tonight.”
This victory is particularly significant for the Spurs, as it marks their return to the semifinals for the first time in six years. In 2017, they faced the Houston Rockets before injuries hampered their performance in the playoffs, resulting in a sweep by the Golden State Warriors in the conference finals.
The Spurs will face either the Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves in the next round. The Timberwolves currently hold a 3-2 lead in their series, with Game 6 set to take place on Thursday.
The Spurs’ resurgence can be traced back to a difficult period following the departure of star player Kawhi Leonard, which included a steep decline in performance. This downturn ultimately led to the acquisition of Wembanyama, the highly-touted 7-foot-4 center from France, who has proven to be a formidable force on the court.
“It’s extremely difficult,” remarked Portland coach Tiago Splitter, discussing the challenges posed by Wembanyama’s defensive abilities. “You’ve got to do a lot of tricks and try to set back screens and seals and spin actions. It’s not easy because he can contest the 3 and the rim at the same time, basically. He’s going to create a lot of problems for a lot of teams for a long time.”
Despite a brief rally by the Trail Blazers, who narrowed the deficit to 91-82 in the final quarter, the Spurs quickly regained control. This included a remarkable play by Wembanyama, who swatted Deni Avdija’s floater, sending it off the backboard and into the crowd.
Avdija led the Blazers with 22 points but struggled from beyond the arc, finishing 1 for 6 on three-pointers, contributing to Portland’s overall 23% shooting from long range. Additionally, rookie Scoot Henderson had a challenging night, scoring only five points as he dealt with the effects of a previous skirmish with Harper.
The series has been characterized by its physicality, with both teams engaging in multiple confrontations throughout the games. Ahead of Game 5, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson emphasized the need to avoid early deficits, a lesson learned from previous matchups. San Antonio responded effectively, starting the game with a 17-4 run, driven by strong performances from Champagnie.
Champagnie finished the game shooting an impressive 5 for 7 from three-point range, helping the Spurs achieve a 40% shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
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