The San Antonio Spurs are looking to maintain their home-court advantage and build on the experience of their first playoff game since 2019 when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday for Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

The Spurs, seeded second in the West, hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series following their 111-98 victory in Game 1 on Sunday in San Antonio. The series will shift to Portland for Games 3 and 4.

San Antonio's star, Victor Wembanyama, was the standout performer in Sunday's win, scoring 35 points and setting a new franchise record for the most points in a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan's 32-point performance from 1998. Wembanyama also made history by recording 21 points in the first half—setting a league record for the most points in the first half of an NBA playoff debut since the start of the play-by-play era in 1997.

“I thought Victor was ready, and he probably settled in a little later when he made some shots and his talent popped,” said Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson. “He really settled in when our defense ramped up and we got organized. He made some great plays, but he also set good screens, too.”

However, Wembanyama was scoreless in the third quarter, as it was his teammates who stepped up, driving a decisive run that turned a two-point lead into a 21-point advantage just two minutes into the final period. Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox each added 17 points, while Devin Vassell contributed 15 and Luke Kornet chipped in with 10.

Vassell had a standout moment in the third, scoring eight consecutive points and recording two key blocked shots during the Spurs’ surge while Wembanyama was on the bench.

“Vassell made some big shots, and during that stretch, he made some winning plays,” Johnson commented. “Kornet and Champagnie also had important contributions. It's not just about making shots; it's about the winning plays, especially when teams go on runs. Those plays are what can turn the game in our favor.”

Portland's Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 30 points and 10 rebounds, while Scoot Henderson added 18 points. Robert Williams III scored 11, including his first career playoff 3-pointer, and Shaedon Sharpe finished with 10 points. Jrue Holiday contributed 11 assists.

Despite their efforts, Portland struggled with their shooting, especially from beyond the arc, making just 26.3% of their 38 three-point attempts. Sharpe and Holiday went a combined 8 for 28 from the field and 1 for 11 from three.

“The Spurs put you in tough positions, and we didn’t shoot well from three,” said Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter. “In the postseason, you’ve got to be able to shoot better, and we didn’t do that.”

This was the first time this season that the Trail Blazers faced Wembanyama, as he missed the previous three matchups due to injury. Splitter acknowledged that the team would learn from Game 1 and focus on improving for the next contest.

“There’s a lot to learn from him because he changes the game so much,” Splitter said. “We’ll watch the film, have more practices, and go from there. We played hard, but it wasn’t our best night. This is a series, and we’ll adjust and come back ready to fight again.” -Field Level Media/Reuters