Victor Wembanyama had another stellar performance with 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks to lead the San Antonio Spurs in a 114-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 5 of the first round of the NBA playoffs.
With the victory, San Antonio closed the series and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017, confirming the great moment of a renewed franchise around its French star.
Complete domain of San Antonio
The Spurs never trailed and took control from the start with an initial 17-4 run. De’Aaron Fox contributed 21 points, while Julian Champagnie added 19 points with five triples, and Dylan Harper added 17 points.
The lead reached 28 points thanks to intense defense and an efficient attack, with the team shooting 40% from three-point range.
Wembanyama sealed qualification
Portland tried to react in the fourth quarter and reduced the difference to nine points after an 11-0 run. However, Wembanyama extinguished any hope with an impressive block on Deni Avdija, sending the ball into the stands.
Avdija led Portland with 22 points, while Scoot Henderson only managed five points on a difficult night.
They expect a rival in the semifinals
Now San Antonio will face the winner of the series between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Minnesota has a 3-2 lead.
The Spurs are once again among the protagonists of the West and they do so driven by a Wembanyama that continues to grow as a dominant figure in the NBA.
