Spurs close out Blazers to roll into second round of playoffs - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama had 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks and the San Antonio Spurs never trailed in eliminating the Portland Trail Blazers 114-95 on Tuesday night in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.

De'Aaron Fox had 21 points, Julian Champagnie added 19 points and Dylan Harper had 17 as the Spurs led by as many as 28 points in winning their third straight game to advance to the second round.

San Antonio advances to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017, when it beat the Houston Rockets before losing Kawhi Leonard to an ankle injury and then getting swept by Golden State in the conference finals.

The Spurs will face the winner of the series between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves lead that series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday.

Leonard's injury and subsequent trade led to a rapid descent in the Spurs' fortunes. That futility allowed San Antonio to draft Wembanyama, and the 7-foot-4 center from France was stellar in closing out the series.

Portland cut its deficit to 91-82 with eight minutes remaining following an 11-0 run. But San Antonio stuffed the rally, including Wembanyama sending Deni Avdija's floater off the top of the backboard and into the crowd in the final minutes.

Avdija finished with 22 points but was 1-for-6 from 3-point distance as the Trail Blazers shot 23% from long range.

Portland's Scoot Henderson scored five points. He was limited to 10 points after a skirmish with Harper in the final minute of the third quarter in San Antonio's 120-108 win in Game 3 on Saturday.

It was one of several skirmishes during a physical and chippy series between the second-seeded Spurs and No. 7 Trail Blazers.

Coach Mitch Johnson