The San Antonio Spurs continued their impressive start to the season Saturday night, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 125-103 at the Moda Center. Victor Wembanyama led the way with 29 points in just 24 minutes as San Antonio picked up its eighth consecutive victory and improved to 8-2.
Portland entered the game at 6-2 but struggled to find any offensive rhythm against the Spurs. After a competitive opening quarter, San Antonio took control in the second and turned the game into a blowout during the third.
First Quarter: Spurs Establish Control
San Antonio wasted little time putting pressure on Portland, jumping ahead 11-3 and later putting together a 10-0 run. The Blazers struggled to find clean looks, particularly from beyond the arc, while the Spurs used their defensive pressure to disrupt Portland’s offense.
Despite those early problems, Portland managed to keep the game close. The Blazers tightened up defensively late in the quarter and prevented San Antonio from building a larger advantage.
The Spurs finished the opening period ahead 22-20, leaving Portland within striking distance.
Second Quarter: San Antonio Pulls Away
The second quarter was where the game began slipping away from Portland.
San Antonio’s offense found its rhythm, moving the ball effectively and taking advantage of Portland’s mistakes. The Blazers continued struggling to convert their opportunities, and their turnovers made it difficult to build any momentum.
The Spurs poured in 42 points during the period, doubling their first-quarter output. Portland managed 29, but it wasn’t nearly enough to keep pace.
By halftime, San Antonio had opened a 64-49 advantage, leaving the Blazers facing a difficult second half.
Third Quarter: Wembanyama and Spurs Put the Game Away
Portland briefly showed signs of life coming out of halftime.
Stephon Castle opened the second-half scoring with a dunk before Deni Avdija answered with a three-pointer. Donovan Clingan followed with a layup to bring Portland within 12 points at 66-54.
Wembanyama responded with a turnaround bank shot, and after Damian Lillard connected from three, the French center finished an alley-oop from Castle to make it 70-57.
Portland couldn’t sustain its offense, and San Antonio continued pulling away.
The Spurs erupted for 45 points in the third quarter, their highest-scoring period of the night, while holding Portland to 27. By the end of the quarter, San Antonio had built a commanding 109-76 lead.
With a 33-point advantage entering the fourth, the outcome was effectively settled.
Fourth Quarter: Spurs Cruise to Victory
San Antonio had done enough damage through three quarters that its starters didn’t need to return.
The Spurs relied on their reserves throughout the final period, giving their regular rotation additional rest after playing the previous night.
Portland outscored San Antonio 27-16 in the fourth quarter, but that did little to change the outcome.
The Spurs completed their 125-103 victory, having led by as many as 35 points.
Wembanyama Leads Another Complete Spurs Performance
Wembanyama finished with 29 points and seven rebounds, shooting an efficient 9-of-13 from the field and 3-of-6 from three-point range.
Devin Vassell added 15 points, while Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie contributed 14 apiece. Dylan Harper chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds.
San Antonio also dominated the rebounding battle 51-38 and knocked down 17 three-pointers compared with Portland’s nine.
For the Blazers, Deni Avdija led the team with 15 points, while Scoot Henderson scored 13. Damian Lillard and Yang Hansen each contributed 12, with Hansen also collecting 10 rebounds for his first career double-double.
Portland fell to 6-3 after suffering consecutive losses for the first time this season.
What’s Next?
The Spurs will look to extend their eight-game winning streak when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Monday.
Portland, meanwhile, faces a challenging back-to-back against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday and Wednesday as it looks to get back on track.
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