San Antonio vs. Portland, Final Score: The Spurs earn a 118-105 victory over the Trail Blazers

The San Antonio Spurs came home looking to get back on track after a two-game losing streak on the road. They caught fire at the Frost Bank Center as they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 118-105.

The Spurs shot 53.7% from the field and 41% from deep and hit 16 three-pointers in the win. They played a fast-paced game and sent the ball flying all over the field with 35 assists. Defensively, they managed to get enough stops down the stretch to pull away from the Blazers. Portland had a difficult night shooting from distance, hitting just 28.1% of its 32 three-point attempts. They found weaknesses in the paint and were able to produce some impressive results throughout the game.

San Antonio had a balanced offensive attack, but it was their bench that had the decisive edge in the win. The Spurs got 61 points from their second unit, led by Malaki Branham and Keldon Johnson, who led the team with 17 points each. DeAndre Ayton had a huge success and led all scorers with 21 points and 10 rebounds. It wasn’t enough to overcome the Spurs’ offensive attack.

San Antonio gets a day off before they face the Utah Jazz on Saturday in what could be Devin Vassell’s first game of the season.

Observations

• San Antonio ran flex action to create Wembanyama looks in the middle of the field. He created easy dunks and jumpers for himself, and when Portland outplayed him, he found open shooters. This play was often used last season to put Wembanyama or Devin Vassell ahead. Expect the Spurs to see more of this action in the future.
• The Spurs had a balanced offensive attack with 8 players scoring in double figures. There was no shortage of ball movement and cuts that created open looks all over the field. Even though Wembanyama struggled to find his offense, scoring 12 points on 4:13 shooting, the supporting team picked up the slack.
• Julian Champagnie continues to impress with his shooting. He had 14 points on 4-8 shooting from distance. If Vassell returns to the lineup, the Spurs may only have four shooters to surround Wembanyama with for the first time in his career. It will be interesting to see what the offense looks like with all of these floor spacings.
• Branham left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. It was his best game of the season. He attacked the basket aggressively, threw three open balls deep and was not a liability on defense. We’ll see how serious his injury is, but it’s hard to lose another goalscorer this early in the season.
• Blake Wesley made an impression without being dangerous, shooting from distance. He was great at advancing the ball in transition and finding open teammates. He finished the game with 10 points, 8 assists and 2 steals.
• Stephon Castle seems comfortable in the starting lineup. Aside from one ugly shot from deep, his offensive game looked much better against Portland. He had 14 points and 6 assists in the win. His strength and finishing ability are a weapon for the Spurs’ offense, and his vision on the floor continues to improve with each game.