San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a play against the Portland Trail Blazers through the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his playoff debut and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series Sunday night.
Wembanyama’s 21 first-half points set an NBA record for essentially the most within the opening half of an NBA playoff debut for the reason that league’s play-by-play era began in 1997. His 35 total points set a Spurs franchise record for essentially the most in a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan’s 32 in 1998.
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WEMBY’S PLAYOFF DEBUT WAS HISTORIC 👽
35 PTS5 THREES2 BLKGAME 1 WIN
He sets the Spurs franchise record for MOST PTS in a playoff debut AND becomes the ONLY player in NBA history with not less than 35 PTS & 5 3PM in a playoff debut! pic.twitter.com/uHBFmQyN6k
— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2026
“It is clearly different, but we’ve been really good within the regular season,” Wembanyama said. “So, we have now no reason to act in another way or do anything different.”
Game 2 is Tuesday night in San Antonio before the series heads to Portland for Games 3 and 4.
Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox each added 17 points and combined for 15 assists for San Antonio.
Deni Avdija had 30 points and 10 rebounds to guide Portland, which beat Phoenix 114-110 in Tuesday’s play-in game to earn the No. 7 seed.
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Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick within the 2023 draft behind Wembanyama and Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, added 18 points.
The Spurs responded to the Trail Blazers’ physicality while holding them to 10-for-38 shooting on 3-pointers and had a 45-38 rebounding advantage.
“The Spurs put you in tough positions,” Portland coach Tiago Splitter said. “Against them, you’ve got to shoot the ball well from 3s. We didn’t. We’ve got to shoot the ball higher.”
The Spurs and the sell-out crowd — which included Duncan and former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer David Robinson sitting together courtside — on the Frost Bank Center were primed for the franchise’s first playoff game since 2019. The six-season postseason drought got here immediately after San Antonio won five NBA championships while appearing in a league-tying 22 straight postseasons.
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Spurs fans are again dreaming big — and it’s due to their 7-foot-4 post player from France who’s a finalist for the NBA’s MVP and Defensive Player of the 12 months awards.
Wembanyama’s highlights included dribbling behind his back to avoid Avdija at halfcourt, backing him all the way down to the highest of the important thing, spinning around him and running free to the rim for a two-handed dunk midway through the primary quarter.
San Antonio clamped down defensively to regain their double-digit lead within the third quarter, with Devin Vassell blocking Donovan Clingan and Jrue Holiday while scoring eight straight points.
“That’s what we’ve talked about, just not giving up on the play,” Vassell said. “Every possession matters, whether it’s the primary possession in the primary quarter or the last possession within the fourth quarter. Play to the whistle.”