SAN ANTONIO —
Postgame
PHOTOS: Spurs pick up huge win over Blazers 113-92
Game Story
First Quarter
San Antonio gave up a 12-0 run after scoring the first bucket of the game, getting Pop to call an early timeout. After that, the Blazers hit another three to make it a 13-point advantage.
Devin Vassell got to the stripe and scored to break the 15-0 run. Vassell faked a pass and drilled a three over the defender, then Tre Jones pulled up for three and drained it.
Keldon Johnson kept a Spurs' miss alive and Zach Collins scored under the hoop.
Lonnie Walker IV came in and made a pass to Devin Vassell, who drove, leapt, cocked it back, got hit, and collected the ball mid-air for a layup. Walker made an extra pass to Keldon, who hit a triple.
Keldon made a nice crossover, and when he missed the layup through contact Jock Landale was there to put it back. Keita Bates-Diop followed his own miss, and the Spurs cut Portland's advantage down to two.
San Antonio got two offensive boards, and Josh Richardson floated one in to tie it. Lonnie hit a trailing three, making it a 12-0 run to give the Spurs a 26-23 lead after the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Portland tied the game with a three to start the period. Jock Landale twisted his right ankle, and the Spurs announced that he would not return to the game. Portland made it a 7-0 run off a pair of San Antonio turnovers.
Rookie Josh Primo got the ball at the arc and ripped a three, but Portland got a couple of threes and a post basket to go back up 9. Romeo Langford checked in for the Spurs after missing a long string of games with a hamstring injury.
Collins drew a clear path foul, and Keldon scored on the ensuing possession. The next trip, Keldon ripped another three. Langford made a pass inside to Collins for a basket.
Rookie Greg Brown III hit his fourth triple for the Blazers, and Pop called time. Keldon Johnson streaked in for a poster jam.
KBD got a few buckets inside as a small-ball five, and Keldon hit his third three, but Portland carried a 56-48 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter
Zach Collins banked in a three on the first possession, then Tre Jones scored inside. Portland called time with a 5-point lead.
Jones drove to the hoop again and scooped it in off the window, then Primo soared in to grab a miss. Jones then stepped into a three for the second time in the game, drilling it. Primo got fouled and hit free throws to put the Spurs back in front.
Primo ripped a steal, then Keldon hit his fourth triple of the game. Vassell drove and kicked it to Primo on the wing for three, putting the Spurs up 8. Portland hit a three, and Pop called time.
Keldon hit his fifth three, but Portland answered. KBD hit a deep three, then a crazy dunk, then Lonnie hit free throws to make it an 11-point advantage. San Antonio led 82-72 after three.
Fourth Quarter
Lonnie Walker IV hit a three, then Keldon Johnson hit his sixth to put the Spurs up 15. Zach Collins hit free throws, then a jumper, then a layup to put San Antonio up 20.
Portland quickly cut it back to 14, and Pop called time. San Antonio held on in a boring remainder of the game, winning 113-92 and cutting the Magic Number down to two.
Pregame
The San Antonio Spurs (32-45) will host the Portland Trail Blazers (27-50) tonight as the Spurs will look to maintain their standing in the NBA Play-In Tournament currently at No. 10.
The Spurs are 3-0 against the Blazers this season and this will be the final meeting between the teams this season. Before the game, the Spurs announced that Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl would both miss the contest. Tre Jones and Zach Collins will start.
In their previous game, the Spurs beat the Blazers, 130-111.
Devin Vassell had 22 points to lead the team while Keldon Johnson added 21 points in the win. San Antonio also had nine turnovers for the game as the team got the win without guard Dejounte Murray.
“They’re [Portland] undermanned for sure as you said, but you still take any win any way you get it. I thought we played well. It’s a good mental test. We played them pretty well in Portland, and they came back," said Gregg Popovich.
Here are five things to watch for in tonight's game:
1. The Trail Blazers average 36.9 three-point attempts per game, ninth-most in the NBA.
2. In his last five games versus San Antonio, Kris Dunn is averaging 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals
3. Portland's Ben McLemore has scored in double-digits in five of his last six games against the Spurs, averaging 14.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
4. Spurs hold opponents to 33.2 attempts per game, the seventh-fewest in the league.
5. Spurs' Johnson has averaged 20.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the season series with the Trail Blazers.
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