The improving San Antonio Spurs have all their key players back and will attempt to build on one of their best stretches of the season when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday in a Western Conference clash.
The Spurs, who have dealt with injuries to several key players and the absence of coach Gregg Popovich (recovering from a stroke) for the past month and a half, are emerging as one of the NBA’s surprising teams.
San Antonio’s roster is a blend of young stars like Victor Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan, and rookie Stephon Castle, along with seasoned veterans Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes. Paul and Barnes have been preaching a “win-now” attitude rather than focusing on rebuilding.
A prime example of the Spurs’ gritty play was their 133-126 overtime win at home against Atlanta on Thursday. Wembanyama racked up 42 points, and Paul contributed a key four-point play late in regulation and a decisive 3-pointer with 20 seconds left in overtime to secure the victory, San Antonio’s third in their past four games.
Thursday’s win also featured 23 points from guard Devin Vassell, who started for the first time this season after missing the initial nine games while recovering from offseason foot surgery. His start marked the first time this season that San Antonio’s projected starting five—Wembanyama, Paul, Barnes, Sochan, and Vassell—opened a game together.
The Trail Blazers come into the Alamo City on a high after a 126-124 win at home over Denver on Thursday. The victory snapped a six-game losing streak for Portland but was only their second win in their past 10 contests.
Anfernee Simons drove the lane for the deciding layup at the buzzer to secure the win for the Trail Blazers. Simons led Portland with 28 points and 10 assists, while Shaedon Sharpe scored 27 points, and Deni Avdija produced 19 points in 21 minutes off the bench to help the Trail Blazers survive blowing a 17-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter.
Like the Spurs, Portland is considered a team in rebuilding mode, taking its lumps while learning from its losses. Therefore, winning, especially against a recent NBA champion like Denver, had to feel gratifying for a team focused on staying the course and improving with each game.
The Spurs have won the first two games of the season series against Portland, winning by 13 points in San Antonio on Nov. 7 and by two points on the road last week. After Saturday’s game, the teams will conclude their series on April 6 in Portland.
