Well, that didn’t take long. Just a few days ago, the Portland Trail Blazers were 6–1, looking like one of the NBA’s biggest early surprises. Now, after a 125–103 beating by the San Antonio Spurs at home on Saturday, I’m wondering whether all that early excitement was fool’s gold.
As a longtime Blazers fan, this is the part that drives me crazy. We get excited. We start imagining what this team could become. And just when it feels like things might finally be different, we get a performance like this. Same old Blazers? I hope not. But tonight sure felt familiar.
A Competitive Start, Then a Complete Collapse
Portland trailed only 22–20 after the first quarter. Then San Antonio scored 42 points in the second and an absurd 45 in the third. That’s 87 points in two quarters. By the end of the third, the Spurs were ahead 109–76. This wasn’t a close loss that slipped away in the final minutes. It was a dismantling.
The final 22-point margin actually makes it look a little more respectable than it was. Portland won the fourth quarter 27–16 after the game was already decided.
Wembanyama Was on Another Level
Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points in just 24 minutes, shooting 9-for-13 overall and 3-for-6 from three. He added seven rebounds and three assists. Devin Vassell scored 15, while Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie each had 14. The Spurs, who have now won eight straight, looked faster, more organized, and more comfortable than Portland.
San Antonio hit 17 threes to Portland’s nine and finished with 29 assists to the Blazers’ 17. That’s a pretty good summary of the night: one team consistently created good looks, and the other struggled to find any rhythm.
Scoot Henderson: The Shooting Is Still a Problem
Scoot Henderson finished with 13 points in 23 minutes, shooting 4-for-10 from the field. But the number that jumps off the page is 0-for-5 from three. He had just one assist.
I want Scoot to succeed. I really do. His athleticism and willingness to attack are exciting, and there are moments when you can see what the Blazers hoped they were getting. But the jump shot has to become more dependable, and a point guard has to do more than score. Tonight’s one assist is especially disappointing in a game where Portland’s offense badly needed someone to settle things down.
One rough game doesn’t define a player. But this is the kind of performance that makes it difficult to ignore the questions about his development.
Not Much Help From the Starters
Deni Avdija led Portland with 15 points, but shot 5-for-13 and finished with only one assist. Damian Lillard scored 12 and handed out seven assists in 19 minutes. Donovan Clingan had six points and five rebounds, while Toumani Camara scored just four points on 2-for-7 shooting.
Jrue Holiday contributed 11 off the bench. Portland shot 41.7 percent overall and a miserable 25.7 percent from three (9-for-35). You aren’t going to beat a team like San Antonio shooting like that, especially when your defense is giving up 125.
One Bright Spot: Yang Hansen
If you’re looking for something positive, Yang Hansen recorded his first career double-double: 12 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes. He wasn’t perfect, but he gave us something worth watching long after the outcome stopped being in doubt. On a night like this, I’ll take it.
The Fool’s Gold Question
Look, a 6–1 start wasn’t meaningless. Portland has shown real promise. But two straight losses—first to the Lakers, then this blowout—have exposed how much work remains. The Spurs were on the second night of a back-to-back, too, so we can’t simply blame the schedule.
And that’s what makes this so disappointing. We’ve seen this movie before. The Blazers tease us with a stretch of inspired basketball, we start believing, and then reality arrives with a 45-point quarter from the other team.
Maybe Portland really is better this year. I still think there’s reason for hope. But a team that’s serious about taking the next step can’t get embarrassed like this on its home floor. Not if it wants fans to believe the improvement is real.
Game Box Score — Key Performers
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deni Avdija (POR) | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Scoot Henderson (POR) | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Damian Lillard (POR) | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Yang Hansen (POR) | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jrue Holiday (POR) | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | 29 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Devin Vassell (SAS) | 15 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Stephon Castle (SAS) | 14 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Julian Champagnie (SAS) | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Quarter-by-Quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spurs | 22 | 42 | 45 | 16 | 125 |
| Blazers | 20 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 103 |
Watch the NBA Game Recap
Watch the official NBA full-game recap and highlights. For the complete player-by-player statistics, see the NBA box score.