SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks and the San Antonio Spurs never trailed in eliminating the Portland Trail Blazers 114-95 on Tuesday night in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
De'Aaron Fox had 21 points, Julian Champagnie added 19 points and Dylan Harper had 17 as the Spurs led by as many as 28 points in winning their third straight game to advance to the second round.
San Antonio advances to the
Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017, when it beat the Houston Rockets before losing Kawhi Leonard to an ankle injury and then getting swept by Golden State in the conference finals.
The Spurs will face the winner of the series between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves lead that series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday.
Leonard’s injury and subsequent trade led to a rapid descent in the Spurs’ fortunes. That futility allowed San Antonio to draft Wembanyama, and the 7-foot-4 center from France was stellar in closing out the series.
Portland cut its deficit to 91-82 with eight minutes remaining following an 11-0 run. But, San Antonio stuffed the rally, including Wembanyama sending Deni Avdija’s floater off the top of the backboard and into the crowd in the final minutes.
Avdija finished with 22 points, but was 1 for 6 from 3-point distance as the Trail Blazers shot 23% from long range.
Portland’s Scoot Henderson scored five points. He was limited to 10 points after a skirmish with Harper in the final minute of the third quarter in San Antonio’s 120-108 win in Game 3 on Saturday.
It was one of several skirmishes during a physical and chippy series between the second-seeded Spurs and No. 7 Trail Blazers.
Coach Mitch Johnson said the Spurs could not afford another early double-digit deficit as they had in the third and fourth games. San Antonio responded by charging to a 17-4 start, fueled by a pair of 3-pointers and eight points by Champagnie.
Champagnie finished 5 for 7 from distance and San Antonio shot 40% from 3-point distance.
Portland went on a 9-0 run and cut its deficit before San Antonio stopped the rally. Devin Vassell blocked Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan on a two-handed dunk attempt, which led to a three-point play by Luke Kornet for a 64-37 advantage.
Even when Portland executed, San Antonio still managed to find a way to convert.
Late in the third quarter, the Trail Blazers forced the Spurs out of their offensive sets, forcing Vassell to throw up a jumper as the shot clock was expiring. Stephon Castle grabbed the rebound under the rim and fired to Wembanyama for a three-point play on contested layup and an 84-61 lead.
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