If the lights felt brighter in San Antonio on Sunday night, it’s because they were. For the first time since 2019, playoff basketball returned to the Frost Bank Center, and the San Antonio Spurs didn’t just show up. They made a statement.
Behind a historic night from Victor Wembanyama and his supporting cast, the Spurs pulled away from the Portland Trail Blazers for a 111-98 Game 1 win of their first-round playoff series — a game that was closer than the final score suggests, but never truly out of San Antonio’s control.
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“I thought we did a good job. I thought we had multiple efforts in transition and got organized,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of the Spurs’ defense. “I thought we had some great stretches defensively.”
This was supposed to be Wembanyama’s moment. It turned into something bigger. The 7-foot-4 phenom poured in 35 points, the most ever by a Spur in a playoff debut, setting the tone early and never letting it slip. He stretched the floor, protected the paint, and, most impressively, looked completely unfazed by the stage.
San Antonio didn’t need him to do everything. But when the game tilted, he made sure it didn’t fall.
The Spurs wasted little time asserting control. A quick surge, fueled by ball movement and Portland’s cold shooting, built an early double-digit cushion. But this is the NBA Playoffs, where leads are rarely kept, and teams don’t stay comfortable.
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Portland punched back in the third quarter, trimming what had been a sizable deficit down to just two points, on an 8-0 run, briefly shifting the energy inside the arena. That’s when San Antonio showed something it’s been building all season: composure. Instead of unraveling, the Spurs responded with defense, timely shooting, and contributions across the roster: stretching the lead back to double digits heading into the fourth.
Wembanyama was the headline. The rest of the Spurs made sure it was a full story. Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox combined for 34 points while Devin Vassell and Luke Kornet brought energy and minutes to maintain momentum.
“During that stretch, Devin, Luke Kornet, and Julian all had plays,” Johnson said. “Those are the plays that are going to be needed in games like this. A lot more than the shot making, especially when teams are making runs and can dictate the circumstances of the game. I thought we responded great.”
The Trail Blazers didn’t go quietly. Deni Avdija delivered a standout performance with 30 points and 10 rebounds, while Scoot Henderson added 18. Apart from those two, Portland struggled to find consistency, especially from deep, and couldn’t sustain the pressure needed to flip the game.
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Every time they threatened, San Antonio had an answer. Game 1 didn’t decide the series. But it clarified something. The Spurs aren’t just back in the playoffs, they look built for this stage. They have a generational centerpiece playing beyond his years, a backcourt that controls tempo, and a system that doesn’t crack under pressure.
“We’ve been really good in the regular season,” Wembanyama said. “So we have no reason to prepare or do anything differently. We obviously prepare for the series, and we have to beat them four times.”
Game 2 looms quickly, again in San Antonio on Tuesday. While there will be things to correct and tape to review, And now, the question shifts: Not whether the Spurs can win.
But how far this version of them can go.
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Game Notes
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If this is the version of Luke Kornet the Spurs will get in these playoffs (10 points, 6 rebounds), the non-Wemby minute will not be much of an issue for this Spurs team.
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Mitch Johnson got a technical foul in the second half and he was (along with the crowd) were upset at the inconsistency of the calls. That will happen in the postseason and Johnson was smart enough to not let his team get in their heads about it.
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So happy the Spurs fans wore the free T-shirts. “You should absolutely wear your shirt if you’re coming to the game,” Wembanyama said.
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