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GAME BLOG: Spurs snatch victory from Trail Blazers, win 108-103 for eighth straight W

Portland, winners of their last three games, are coming to the Alamo City looking to improve on its spot in the standings.

SAN ANTONIO — FINAL: Spurs 108, Trail Blazers 103

The victories against the elite teams continue. 

San Antonio – which has recently defeated the Nuggets, Bucks and Thunder – has now defeated the fourth-best team in the West in the Portland Trail Blazers. After keeping up with them for most of the second half, they finally took the lead and didn't look back on a Bryn Forbes three-pointer from downtown, riding the momentum to a 108-103 win. 

San Antonio's winning streaking stays alive at eight straight games. Up next, their toughest challenge yet: The Warriors on Monday night. 

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Attaboy, Bryan. 

With 8:33 to go in the game, Bryn Forbes nailed a three-pointer to give the Spurs their first lead in the final frame. He has six points for San Antonio after tallying just five in the first three quarters, and San Antonio is clinging to a 94-92 lead. 

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With 7:51 to go in the game, San Antonio is staying in lockstep with Portland, the score 82-81. The half has been devoid of drastic momentum shifts as two Western Conference contenders continue to wrestle with each other.

Third Quarter: Spurs 72, Trail Blazers 76

Heading into the final dozen minutes, the score is 76-72, advantage: Portland. 

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Halfway through the third quarter, the game remains as close of an affair as it could be as the Spurs and Blazers both try to keep their respective winning streaks alive. 

The score is 60-60 with 5:50 to go in the third. Both teams are shooting at about the same mark from the field.

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San Antonio has retaken the lead early in the third quarter, 54-52. Derrick White has been rejuvenated, scoring four points early in the frame after being held to just three total points in the first half. 

Second Quarter: Spurs 48, Trail Blazers 50

Hangin' tough heading into halftime. 

The Spurs regained focused in the closing minutes of the first half to prevent the Trail Blazers from suddenly running away with the quarter after they sprinted back from an eight-point deficit earlier in the quarter. 

DeRozan has a game-high 14 points so far, and the Spurs bench is outscoring Portland's reserves, 18-10. But advantages in assists and points in the paint have helped the visitors nab a slim, two-point advantage. 

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Down by eight earlier in the quarter, Portland has used a 16-3 run to gain the lead for the first time since early in the first.  

DeRozan and Aldridge have been held scoreless in this quarter after their 21-point first-quarter effort, and Damian Lillard has tallied seven points this quarter alone for his team. 

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A 9-3 run to start the second quarter, and the seventh-best team in the West has begun to put some distance between themselves and the fourth-best team.

After DeRozan and Aldridge scored 21 of the Spurs' 23 first-quarter points, Marco Belinelli is making sure they don't carry the whole load; he's scored all seven of his points in 3:23 this quarter.

First Quarter: Spurs 23, Trail Blazers 21

It's the DeRozan and Aldridge Show early in tonight's game, after the duo combined for 21 points in the first quarter. 

The rest of the Spurs? 

The other three starters tonight – Poeltl, White and Forbes – were a combined 0-5 from the field in the first dozen minutes. Still, the Silver and Black lead by two points early. 

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Both teams are shooting around 40 percent from the field as Portland takes a timeout with the score 17-17. San Antonio has the early edge in free throws, but Portland is outplaying the home team in the paint in the early going (8-0). 

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Just a few minutes into the opening period of tonight's game, and San Antonio has already had an opportunity to show some resilience. After finding themselves down 9-4 early, the Spurs now lead 10-9 with 5:51 to go in the first quarter. 

LaMarcus Aldridge, as he is wont to do, leads all players early eight points. DeMar DeRozan is the only other Spur who has scored a bucket.

Pregame

San Antonio will be looking for its eighth straight win Saturday night as they welcome the Trail Blazers to the AT&T Center for the tail-end of a back-to-back. 

The Spurs (40-29), owners of the NBA's longest active winning streak, dispatched the New York Knicks in fairly easy fashion Friday night, cruising to a 109-83 victory in a game where they led by as much as 28 points. 

Saturday night's opponent is a much tougher draw, though. Portland (42-26) occupies the fourth spot in the Western Conference heading into the game, having won seven of its last 10 games. The Blazers are on a four-game winning streak of their own, so something will have to give Saturday night between the two playoff contenders. 

Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. Follow along here for the quarter-by-quarter analysis and updates. 

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