SAN ANTONIO — — Victor Wembanyama scored 35 factors in his playoff debut and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff sequence Sunday evening.
Wembanyama’s 21 first-half factors set an NBA document for essentially the most within the opening half of an NBA playoff debut for the reason that league’s play-by-play period started in 1997. His 35 whole factors set a Spurs franchise document for essentially the most in a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan’s 32 in 1998.
Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox every added 17 factors and mixed for 15 assists for San Antonio.
Deni Avdija had 30 factors and 10 rebounds to steer Portland, which beat Phoenix 114-110 in Tuesday’s play-in sport to earn the No. 7 seed.
Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 choose within the 2023 draft behind Wembanyama and Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, added 18 factors.
Game 2 is Tuesday evening in San Antonio earlier than the sequence heads to Portland for Games 3 and 4.
The Spurs and the sell-out crowd — which included Duncan and former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer David Robinson sitting collectively courtside — on the Frost Bank Center had been primed for the franchise’s first playoff sport since 2019. The six-season postseason drought got here instantly after San Antonio received 5 NBA championships whereas showing in a league-tying 22 straight postseasons.
Spurs followers are once more dreaming large — and it’s due to their 7-foot-4 publish participant from France who is a finalist for the NBA’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Wembanyama’s highlights included dribbling behind his again to keep away from Avdija at halfcourt, backing him right down to the highest of the important thing, spinning round him and operating free to the rim for a two-handed dunk halfway by way of the primary quarter.
Castle and Wembanyama ignited the Spurs’ scoring — as they’ve carried out all season — combining for 19 of the workforce’s 30 factors within the first quarter.
Henderson made a 3-pointer and a breakaway layup as Portland opened the second half on an 8-0 run to trim a 16-point deficit within the first half to a 59-57 lead by San Antonio.
San Antonio clamped down defensively to regain their double-digit lead, with Luke Kornet and Devin Vassell every blocking Portland’s Donovan Clingan on the identical possession within the third quarter.
Vassell went on to hit two straight 3-pointers to offer the Spurs a 72-61 lead with 5 minutes remaining within the third quarter.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
