If you’re anything like this writer, watching the San Antonio Spurs’ stellar performance through the 2026 NBA Playoffs has you feeling a little better about the Portland Trail Blazers’ 4-1 first-round series loss to San Antonio.
Sure, the Blazers coughed up double-digit halftime leads at home in infuriating fashion twice during the series. And Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter admitted during exit interviews that Portland’s offense was too vanilla. But, if it wasn’t already clear before, it’s
clear now that the No.7-seeded Blazers were going up against a juggernaut in the No. 2-seeded Spurs.
After winning 62 games in the regular season and defeating Portland in five games in round one, San Antonio got past the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round in six games — a series that included three Spurs wins by at least 29 points. Now, they’ve taken the defending champs, the Oklahoma City Thunder, to Game 7 Saturday night, with a berth to the NBA finals on the line. No matter what happens in that showdown, the Spurs have shown they’re a worthy title contender, not too young yet for the postseason spotlight. Superstar Victor Wembanyama has been worthy of the generational hype accompanying his rise, and the rest of San Antonio’s roster has proven it’s stacked with talent.
This is all to say: The Blazers, as currently constructed, would’ve had to punch well above their weight class or throw a near-perfect game to upset San Antonio in round one — or to even prolong the series past five games.
But that’s just one opinion. Blazer’s Edge readers, with the hindsight of 12 more playoff games from this Spurs team, how do you feel now about Portland’s first-round showing? Has your opinion changed at all? If so, for the better or worse?
Plus: Moving forward, what do you think Portland needs to do to get closer to the level of the San Antonios and OKCs of the world?
