SAN ANTONIO \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 32 in 1998. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is obviously different, but we\u2019ve been really good in the regular season,\u201d Wembanyama said. \u201cSo, we have no reason to act differently or do anything different.\u201d<\/p>\n
Game 2 is Tuesday night in San Antonio before the series heads to Portland for Games 3 and 4.<\/p>\n
Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox each added 17 points and combined for 15 assists for San Antonio.<\/p>\n
Deni Avdija had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead Portland, which beat Phoenix 114-110 in Tuesday\u2019s play-in game to earn the No. 7 seed.<\/p>\n
Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft behind Wembanyama and Charlotte\u2019s Brandon Miller, added 18 points.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Spurs put you in tough positions,\u201d Portland coach Tiago Splitter said. \u201cAgainst them, you’ve got to shoot the ball well from 3s. We didn’t. We’ve got to shoot the ball better.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Spurs and the sell-out crowd \u2014 which included Duncan and former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer David Robinson sitting together courtside \u2014 at the Frost Bank Center were primed for the franchise\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Spurs fans are again dreaming big \u2014 and it\u2019s because of their 7-foot-4 post player from France who is a finalist<\/a> for the NBA’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.<\/p>\n Wembanyama\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019ve talked about, just not giving up on the play,\u201d Vassell said. \u201cEvery possession matters, whether it\u2019s the first possession in the first quarter or the last possession in the fourth quarter. Play to the whistle.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n