SAN ANTONIO (AP) 鈥� Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points 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 series Sunday night.
Wembanyama’s 21 first-half points set an NBA record for the most in the opening half of an NBA playoff debut since the league’s play-by-play era began in 1997. His 35 total points set a Spurs franchise record for the most in a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan鈥檚 32 in 1998.
鈥淚t is obviously different, but we鈥檝e been really good in the regular season,鈥� Wembanyama said. 鈥淪o, we have no reason to act differently or do anything different.鈥�
Game 2 is Tuesday night in San Antonio before the series heads to Portland for Games 3 and 4.
Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox each added 17 points and combined for 15 assists for San Antonio.
Deni Avdija had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead Portland, which beat Phoenix 114-110 in Tuesday鈥檚 play-in game to earn the No. 7 seed.
Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft behind Wembanyama and Charlotte鈥檚 Brandon Miller, added 18 points.
The Spurs responded to the Trail Blazers’ physicality while holding them to 10-for-38 shooting on 3-pointers and had a 45-38 rebounding advantage.
鈥淭he Spurs put you in tough positions,鈥� Portland coach Tiago Splitter said. 鈥淎gainst them, you’ve got to shoot the ball well from 3s. We didn’t. We’ve got to shoot the ball better.鈥�
The Spurs and the sell-out crowd 鈥� which included Duncan and former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer David Robinson sitting together courtside 鈥� at the Frost Bank Center were primed for the franchise鈥檚 first playoff game since 2019. The six-season postseason drought came immediately after San Antonio won five NBA championships while appearing in a league-tying 22 straight postseasons.
Spurs fans are again dreaming big 鈥� and it鈥檚 because of their 7-foot-4 post player from France for the NBA’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Wembanyama鈥檚 highlights included dribbling behind his back to avoid Avdija at halfcourt, backing him down to the top of the key, spinning around him and running free to the rim for a two-handed dunk midway through the first quarter.
San Antonio clamped down defensively to regain their double-digit lead in the third quarter, with Devin Vassell blocking Donovan Clingan and Jrue Holiday while scoring eight straight points.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we鈥檝e talked about, just not giving up on the play,鈥� Vassell said. 鈥淓very possession matters, whether it鈥檚 the first possession in the first quarter or the last possession in the fourth quarter. Play to the whistle.鈥�
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