Victor Wembanyama won the first playoff series of his career on Tuesday night as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-95 in Game 5 to take the series 4-1. The Spurs advanced to the next round after a game they controlled from the opening minutes.
San Antonio opened on a 15-4 run, led by 12 points after the first quarter and had shot 60% from the field over the first 12 minutes. The Spurs then outscored Portland 18-4 to start the second quarter and took a 20-point lead into halftime. Julian Champagnie scored 14 points in the opening half, and San Antonio held Portland to four 3-pointers before the break.
The victory sent the Spurs through the opening round for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign, capping a fast climb out of a six-season playoff drought that ended this spring. Tuesday’s result also matched the arc of the series itself: Wembanyama missed just one game after a concussion in Game 2, returned for San Antonio’s 21-point win in Portland on Sunday and then finished this closeout with 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.
There were flashes of the individual defense and shot-making that tilted the series. Devin Vassell stuffed Donovan Clingan at the rim, and later Wembanyama spun past Robert Williams for a wild and-1 layup in the second half. Portland briefly cut the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter behind a run led by Sidy Cissoko, but De’Aaron Fox answered with 11 of the Spurs’ first 18 points in the final period and ended with 21 points and nine assists.
Champagnie finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Stephon Castle added 15 points and the Spurs shot 55% from the field. Deni Avdija led Portland with 21 points, and Jerami Grant scored 12 off the bench. San Antonio now waits for either the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves, who entered Game 6 on Thursday night with Minnesota leading the series 3-2.