The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trailblazers took very totally different paths on their approach again to the playoffs after extended droughts. San Antonio far exceeded expectations, a 62-20 season that nobody noticed coming, constructed on the skills of a younger core that seems to have skipped a step or two in simply Victor Wembanyama’s third season. Portland then again had a difficult season, essentially the most profound problem being a head teaching change in simply the 2nd recreation of the season following Chauncey Billups being placed on indefinite suspension by the NBA following his arrest in a federal playing investigation. Billups was changed by none aside from former Spur and 2014 NBA champion Tiago Splitter. The rookie Splitter, who had solely joined Billup’s workers in June and had by no means been a head coach earlier than this season. has been credited with holding down the fort in Portland, main them to each a 6-game enchancment from final season and their first playoff berth since 2021. That playoff journey was sealed with a clutch victory on the highway in Phoenix within the Western Convention 7/8 seed recreation.
Which brings each groups to San Antonio tonight for the ultimate recreation of the 2026 Playoff’s first weekend. Whereas San Antonio gained the season collection 2-1 and are available into this collection as a heavy favourite, there are nonetheless some unknowns. Most notably, Victor Wembanyama missed all 3 common season conferences between the 2 squads, with San Antonio profitable each video games on the Frost Financial institution Heart. With Wemby within the fold for the primary time all season towards Portland, in San Antonio’s first house playoff recreation of the Victor Wembanyama period, the Blazers will actually have their work reduce out for them in the event that they need to steal Recreation 1.
San Antonio Spurs (0-0) vs Portland Trailblazers (0-0)April 19 2026 | 8:00 PM CTWatch: NBC | Hear: WOAI (1200 AM)Line: San Antonio -10.5
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