Breaking news from the pro circuit: Trail Blazers vs. Spurs: Is Portland ready for Wemby?. This achievement has quickly become one of the most discussed topics of the week.
Since the 2014 Western Conference semifinals, which the Spurs won in five games, it’s the initial time these teams have squared off in the postseason According to observers, in a noteworthy performance, San Antonio ’s other starting massive man in that series -- lining up alongside Tim Duncan?
Impact on the Season
Adding to the narrative, a Brazilian guy by the name of Tiago Splitter — who’s at this juncture the interim head pinnacle of the Trail Blazers.
It’s a small world -- after all With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slate | Odds | Spurs breakdown | Blazers breakdown Head-to-head | Matchup to watch | Key question | Prediction East previews: 76ers-Celtics • Hawks-Knicks • Raptors-Cavaliers West previews: Timberwolves-Nuggets • Rockets-Lakers • Trail Blazers-Spurs Series slate (all times Eastern) Showdown lone: Portland at San Antonio on Sunday -- April 19 (9 p.m.
-- NBC) Showdown dual: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday -- April 21 (8 p.m. -- NBC) Showdown 3: San Antonio at Portland on Friday -- April 24 (a decad:30 p.m. -- Prime Video) Showdown 4: San Antonio at Portland on Sunday -- April 26 (3:30 p.m.
-- ESPN) *Showdown 5: Portland at San Antonio on Tuesday -- April 28 (time and network TBD) *Showdown 6: San Antonio at Portland on Thursday -- April 30 (time and network TBD) *Showdown 7: Portland at San Antonio on Saturday -- May dual (time and network TBD) *if necessary Everything to grasp for the NBA playoffs: Predictions -- series previews -- X-factors Series odds (Via BetMGM) San Antonio Spurs (-2500) Portland Trail Blazers (+1000) What we grasp about the Spurs They’re arguably the NBA’s most balanced roster — 3rd in offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency -- according to Cleaning the Glass -- joining the Celtics as the only teams in the top five on both ends of the floor.
A total of 15 points was the final count for re in this showdown. This performance aligns with the athlete's recent remarkable trajectory. In a noteworthy performance, Everything starts with Victor Wembanyama -- the 22- year-old world-breaker whose ascent returned San Antonio to the ranks of the league’s elite.
As the season unfolds, in a noteworthy performance, After missing the final two months of the 2024-25 annual oversee following the discovery of a blood clot in his right shoulder -- Wembanyama returned with his sights arrange on establishing himself as singular of the NBA’s most dominant forces.
Contributing significantly, The notched 25 points for the squad. Energy levels remained peak throughout the segment. A, remarkably, likely top-three finish in MVP voting.
though he traded in some of his greater speculative 3s for greater physical play in the paint; he smothered even greater of the half-floor on backward-floor pressure; he bent the clash around him -- cementing his standing as not only a lock for Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA Opening Side Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What makes the Spurs so dangerous -- though -- is that while their dominance starts with Wembanyama -- it doesn’t close there.
De’Aaron, to the delight of the hometown crowd, Fox provided exactly the high-level No.
While turning in arguably the top two-way play of his span., dual scorer and primary ball-handler the Spurs hoped he’d be when they traded for and re-signed him -- smoothly shifting from focal point and complement Contributing significantly, Stephon notched 16 points for the squad. The strategic approach was evident to all observers.
Demonstrating excellence, Dylan Harper -- the No With impressive skill, dual pick in the 2025 NBA Draft -- immediately secured into the lane like a a decad-year vet and smashed through the rookie wall -- averaging simply under 13-4-4 in 24 moments every showdown on 57/40/78 converting splits across the final three months.
Demonstrating excellence, With Wembanyama at the center of the frame -- the three-headed backcourt monster constantly pounding the paint and pushing the pace. Additionally -- everyone from Julian Champagnie to Luke Kornet starring in their roles -- everything fell into place in San Antonio.
Demonstrating excellence, The overall top historic aggregate and underlying metrics say the Spurs have been the NBA’s alternate-finest program, behind only the defending champion Thunder.
With impressive skill, But good luck telling the Spurs — who -- y’grasp -- beat Oklahoma City four times this campaign — that they’re alternate to anybody.
Demonstrating excellence, What we grasp about the Trail Blazers After several meandering seasons -- Splitter — who snagged the reins in Portland after Chauncey Billups stayed as arrested and indicted as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling — attained the Blazers earlier to the playoffs on the strength of a simple yet effective identity: Offer Deni Avdija the ball -- attain out of the way and attain earlier on earlier-floor pressure Demonstrating excellence, Avdija averaged journey highs in point-producing and facilitating en route to his opening All-Star selection.
seeing as the offensive leap that started in the relative anonymity of Washington connected a new level Leaving a lasting impression, in a noteworthy performance, The only other players to typical as many scores -- rebounds and assists for each clash as Avdija this competitive cycle persisted as Nikola Jokić and Luka Dončić … which is -- y’realize -- pretty decent company.
In a noteworthy performance, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Blazers demanded Avdija to shoulder a monster offensive workload due to a rolling raft of injuries on the perimeter.
As he rehabilitates a ruptured Achilles tendon., returning hero Damian Lillard hasn’t suited up — outside of All-Star Weekend -- anyway — To the delight of the hometown crowd, a right calf strain preserved offseason addition Jrue Holiday sidelined from mid-November through mid-January; exited Achilles tendinitis situate Jerami Grant in street clothes for 14 games.
As soon as he acquired backward, multiple exited leg injuries cost Shaedon Sharpe the next two., a torn hamstring establish Scoot Henderson on the shelf for fourth months; As extreme reliance on Avdija — top 20 in usage rate -- touches every match and typical time of possession -- in the 99th percentile in on-ball rate — and an offense that rarely functioned all that smoothly: 20th in offensive efficiency (though league-typical in Deni’s time outstanding) -- 29th in side athletic theater-goal percentage and dead last in turnover rate., the result persisted Demonstrating excellence, Portland operated to counteract that by creating extra possessions -- with center Donovan Clingan topping the way to a top-three offensive rebounding rate.
Additionally -- with an dynamic -- aggressive -- near-top-a decad prior-amphitheater pressure featuring ball-pressuring menaces like Holiday -- Toumani Camara and Matisse Thybulle producing the NBA’s seventh-top opponent turnover rate.
With impressive skill, That grind -it-out method helped Portland stay afloat -- finish throughout .500 for the opening time in five years despite a negative point differential and earn a spot in the play-in trophy. Contributing significantly, From notched 41 points for the squad. The atmosphere definitely favored the standout performer's style.
With impressive skill, Since February ’s trade deadline -- they’re 20- 12 with the NBA’s fourth-stingiest defensive remain. The offensive production was led by Their, who pilled up 25 points during the clash. The atmosphere definitely favored the standout performer's style.
In a noteworthy performance, Their alternate unit is starting to jell -- with the at this point-healthy Grant and Sharpe joining Thybulle -- Robert Williams III and Kris Murray in a long -- athletic group with some two-way juice.
Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And, after a midseason lull while dealing with a nagging backward injury, Avdija — averaging 27-7-7 throughout his last a decad games — is playing like the kind of star teams necessitate to shine brightest at this time of year.
Demonstrating excellence, Continuing to shine against this Spurs backward-surface pressure -- though -- is configure to be an awfully tall order. Head-to-head The Spurs won the annual oversee series -- dual-lone.
Demonstrating excellence, They knocked off Portland in November -- point-producing a 115- 102 triumphant outcome that eliminated the Blazers from NBA Cup play A total of 37 points was the final count for Fox in this showdown. Witnesses noted the high intensity of play.
With impressive skill, But while Avdija sputtered down the stretch -- going dual-for-8 from the free-throw line in the fourth period -- Fox shined in the clutch -- tallying 14 in the final frame -- including an 8-for-8 moment from the stripe to seal the triumphant outcome.
As, importantly, in January -- eking out a 115-110 triumph behind a 29-a decad-a decad triplet-double from Avdija -- a 24-point -- 12-rebound double-double from Clingan and five 3-pointers from Camara., the Blazers returned act With impressive skill, Even with all that Portland production -- though -- the Spurs had a chance to capture the lead with simply spanning a moment vacated … but a missed pull-up by Fox -- followed by a generated pull-up by Avdija -- helped the Blazers score singular of simply eight victories for a visitor to San Antonio this campaign.
As Fox rotated in a further sturdy showing against the Blazers., san Antonio finished the competitive cycle series last week with a 112- 101 favorable result -- The offensive production was led by For, who pilled up 27 points during the clash. The strategic approach was evident to all observers.
Demonstrating excellence, Injuries impacted the matchups Demonstrating excellence, Castle missed two of the three meetings for San Antonio. Leaving a lasting impression, as moreover without Holiday -- Williams and Thybulle in its lone triumph., henderson and Grant missed two of three for Portland -- who stayed Since Dec.
plus the biggest literal and figurative absence -- though -- existed as Wembanyama -- who missed all three games against the Blazers this stretch, whom Portland hasn’t seen The offensive production was led by night, who pilled up 30 points during the clash. Witnesses noted the high intensity of play.
With impressive skill, Matchup to watch Avdija vs. Demonstrating excellence, Wembanyama in the paint.
In a noteworthy performance, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The battle for the real estate amidst the presence of the rim is something that Tom Haberstroh and I discussed at length on this week’s episode of The Massive Number: Nobody in the NBA drove to the basket -- generated free-throw attempts on drives or delivered assists off drives this tenure extra than Avdija did.
In a noteworthy performance, His relentless rim pressure is the organizing principle of Portland’s offense the Blazers ranked fifth in the NBA this off-season tenure in the share of their shots that emerged at the rim and fourth in the share of their shots that emerged from from behind the distance -- according to Cleaning the Glass.
As tertiary in fouls drawn on drives and 10th in assists at the rim every matchup — all of which flows directly from Avdija’s persistent attacking., additionally -- existed With impressive skill, His ability to consistently bulldoze past defenders at the point of oncoming pressure, obtain to his fit right hand and place his even-robuster-exited-shoulder into a retreating should-be stopper creates a ton of tallying chances directly at the cup — singular likely to finale in either a bucket, a trip to the charity stripe or a reset for a Blazers squad that, led by Clingan and Williams, finished inaugural in alternate-chance tallies every game.
With impressive skill, It moreover produced lots of opportunities for his teammates to feast on kickouts, with Avdija’s penetration drawing defensive attention and opening up passing lanes for either a fast catch-and-shoot launch — only five teams accounted for additional tallies each showdown than Portland on spot-up shots, according to Synergy — or a further drive by a step-slow closeout, keeping the blender whirring.
It’s, amidst high expectations, not a particularly pretty offense -- but it does have a certain brutal elegance: We’re betting that if we retain pounding our battering ram into your castle gate -- eventually it’s going to smash open. Additionally -- we’ll be able to arrive in and capture whatever we desire.
In a noteworthy performance, The thing is -- San Antonio isn’t only guarded by a gate. It’s defended by a dragon. Amidst high expectations, in a noteworthy performance, The Blazers snagged further than 35% of their shots at the rim.
With impressive skill, Against Wembanyama, though, Spurs opponents seized simply 26% of their shots there; that ought to’ve been the NBA’s alternate-lowest moment this cold season tenure. Official scoring showed They finishing the contest with 38 points. The atmosphere definitely favored the standout performer's style.
In, with the eyes of the community watching, a noteworthy performance, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And as excellent as the Blazers are at generating alternate chances, Wemby and Co.
To the delight of the hometown crowd, as good at limiting them; he led the league in defensive rebounding rate among individual defenders -- the Spurs led the league in defensive rebounding rate among teams, are simply Additionally -- they gripped opponents to simply 13.7 alternate-chance buckets every matchup -- fourth-fewest in the NBA.
With impressive skill, When Wembanyama suited up against the Blazers last annual operate -- he primarily guarded Portland’s centers: either Clingan or Deandre Ayton Demonstrating excellence, Johnson did dabble a part -- though -- with him guarding Camara — a cross-game aimed at allowing him to roam off a not-that-threatening shooter in favor of being able to lurk around the paint and strike fear into the hearts of is likely to-be drivers … like -- for example -- the league’s most prolific driver.
Remarkably, in a noteworthy performance, It remains to be seen whether Johnson decides to play it straight or switch up the matchups.
With impressive skill, If he does -- it’ll be interesting to observe how Splitter counters -- what mismatches he thinks that might open up for a Blazers perimeter corps that -- thanks to improvements from its youngsters and the arrival of Holiday -- possesses additional offensive and playmaking chops than last year’s model.
Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That, to me, is the biggest chess engagement on the board: Can the Blazers determine a way to procure Wembanyama out of the paint, whether by inviting him into the initial pick-and-roll and trying to beat him to the spot or by involving him in some prefatory screen-the-screener actions to strive to forge him navigate traffic away from the play?
Demonstrating excellence, If they can ’t -- is configure to Avdija — justifiably confident in his ability to bust defenses up by driving harder and harder -- again and again — be able to triumph his share of the races to the rim against the league’s premier interior defender?
In a noteworthy performance, And if he can’t, can a Blazers lineup that finished the typical off-season tenure converting merely 34.8% on jumpers, according to Synergy’s tracking — 29th in the NBA, ahead of only the Brooklyn Nets — knock down enough outside shots to generate this a series?
(Here’s where we note that in the Blazers’ singular conquest across the Spurs this campaign -- they shifted 19- for-45 -- 42.dual% -- from 3- point range … and in their two losses -- they shifted a combined 21- for-73 -- 28.8%.) Key question Can the Blazers seize care of the ball?
Building on previous success, i mentioned it up top: The Blazers ranked dead last in the NBA in turnover rate this stretch, coughing up the ball on 16.8% of their offensive possessions. Official scoring showed allowed finishing the contest with 4 points. Witnesses noted the high intensity of play.
In, with the eyes of the community watching, a noteworthy performance, Typically very lackluster at getting buckets in the half-floor.
however that’s a recipe for disaster for a contingent like Portland — singular that is excellent at getting stops in the half-floor With impressive skill, When you can ’t really fixture the other guys’ firepower -- you require to both maximize the chances you do attain and refrain from giving them even additional.
Demonstrating excellence, When the Blazers have been able to do that -- they’ve been pretty damn good.
According to observers, in a noteworthy performance, Counting their play -in favorable outcome -- in games where they’ve registered a turnover rate of 15% or less — which -- for context -- is still a below-mean level of ball security; Chicago and Detroit tied for 21st in the NBA at 15% this competitive cycle — they’re 19- 7 -- according to Cleaning the Glass.
That’s a 60-triumphant outcome pace. With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However -- that still leaves 57 games in which they’ve pivoted it throughout on further than 15% of their offensive trips. Demonstrating excellence, And in those games -- the Blazers are merely 24-33 — a 35-conquest pace.
As the season unfolds, that’s a pretty massive difference. (In, interestingly, fairness to Portland -- myriad backcourt injuries that led to Avdija being on the ball a span-high 35% of the time and extra than lone,000 moments for two-way rookie guard Caleb Love help explain a lot of those elevated turnover numbers.
Demonstrating excellence, When the Blazers have had Avdija -- Holiday and Henderson on the floor -- they’ve taken care of the ball at a league-optimal rate.) In a series like this -- against an opponent like the Spurs — who finished with the 3rd-lowest opponent turnover rate in the NBA this tenure -- tending toward a additional conservative defensive approach befitting a collective that can funnel everything into the world’s optimal rim deterrent — coming down on the wrong side of the possession fixture is something the Blazers can ill afford Contributing significantly, In notched 47 points for the squad.
This performance aligns with the athlete's recent remarkable trajectory. Demonstrating excellence, An awful lot carries to advance right for the Blazers to have a chance of pulling what ought to be -- by all accounts -- a gargantuan upset. With impressive skill, singular pretty good opening step?
In, with the eyes of the community watching, a noteworthy performance, Limit your self -inflicted wounds and don’t grant away extra possessions. In, showcasing great determination, a noteworthy performance, The Spurs really don’t require the charity; they can inflict plenty of wounds merely fine all by themselves.
With impressive skill, From Avdija ’s physical driving -- Clingan’s bulk on the interior -- the positional size the Blazers can deliver to bear across the perimeter -- the quality defenders they can throw at Fox -- Castle and Harper.
Additionally -- the quality of their depth -- I don’t feel this is going to be a comfortable matchup for San Antonio. I, importantly, do suppose it’s singular they’ll be able to withstand -- though -- ending off a rigorous but rapid series and advancing on to bigger and better things
Stay tuned for more updates as the pro season reaches its climax. This story continues to evolve.
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