The San Antonio Spurs have seen plenty of NBA playoff drama. On Wednesday, it was the Portland Trail Blazers’ turn to steal the spotlight. Scoot Henderson erupted for 31 points, and the Trail Blazers took advantage of Victor Wembanyama’s scary second-quarter exit to rally past the Spurs 106–103, evening their Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece.
Wembanyama’s Scary Exit
The 7-foot-4 French man, who was recently named Defensive Player of the Year unanimously, went down hard when Jrue Holiday fouled him, his jaw slamming into the floor. Diagnosed with a concussion, Wembanyama did not return and entered the NBA’s concussion protocol—raising the possibility he could miss multiple games. He had 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block in 12 minutes before leaving.
The Spurs, who had won 76 straight playoff games when leading by 14 or more in the fourth quarter, looked poised to extend that streak. But without Wemby, their offense stalled.
Henderson Leads Blazers Charge
Portland closed the game on an 11–2 run, holding San Antonio without a field goal for the final 3:37. Robert Williams III’s alley-oop dunk with 12 seconds left gave the Blazers a 104–101 lead, and Henderson’s relentless shot-making sealed it. He finished 11-for-17 from the field and 5-for-9 from deep.
“As a team, as a unit, I think that was our goal—to be aggressive,” Henderson said. “Hit everybody that comes through the paint, box out and play fast. I think that was all of our success and that kind of opened the floor for all of us.”
Holiday added 16 points and 9 assists, Deni Avdija chipped in 14, and Williams had 11.
Spurs Let One Slip
San Antonio built its big lead with a 13–0 run to start the fourth, punctuated by Luke Kornet’s reverse slam for a three-point play. Kornet, filling in for Wembanyama, finished with 10 points and 9 rebounds.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 18 points, De’Aaron Fox had 17, and Devin Vassell posted 16 points and 12 rebounds. But Vassell’s potential game-tying three with 2 seconds left missed, and the Spurs’ streak of closing out double-digit fourth-quarter leads ended.
“(Henderson) has been shooting the ball really well,” Vassell said. “Got to be more physical with him. No catch-and-shoots, no easy off-the-dribble pullups. I think he made … I don’t know how many he made today. We’re going to make it a lot harder for him because he’s feeling way too comfortable.”
What’s Next
Game 3 shifts to Portland on Saturday, with the series tied and Wembanyama’s status uncertain. The Blazers now have momentum, while the Spurs face questions about how to respond without their generational star.
