By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama’s transition to postseason basketball looked effortless on Sunday as he led the San Antonio Spurs to victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Frost Bank Center, securing a 1-0 lead in the opening round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google. The 22-year-old French center delivered a historic performance, finishing with 35 points and breaking Tim Duncan’s franchise record of 32 points in a playoff debut.
Reflecting on the atmosphere and the result immediately following the final buzzer, Wemby remained focused on the long-term goal. “That was a great first. We were really solid. As expected, job’s not done,” he stressed during a flash interview on the court.
Despite the increased stakes, the Le Chesnay native noted that the team’s preparation allowed them to maintain their composure. “It is, obviously, different, but we’ve been really good in the Regular Season, so we didn’t have any reason to act differently or do anything different in terms of tactics. The sport aspect was different, because we had more time to prepare,” he described while opening his postgame press conference.
Wembanyama was particularly aggressive early, scoring 21 points in the first half, a league record for the most in the opening half of a playoff debut since the play-by-play era began in 1997. Even as the Blazers attempted to disrupt his rhythm with a physical approach, the young star appeared unfazed. “It’s their identity, something that we expected, and it’s also to be expected that they will double up on that in the next games, but we’re ready,” he explained.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson highlighted the importance of this milestone for his starting center’s development. “This is his first playoff game, and he has lofty expectations and goals for himself. Being in the Playoffs is squarely a part of a lot of that. So, it’s good to get the first one, and kind of get that experience under your belt,” he mentioned.
On the other side, Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter acknowledged the difficulty of containing the 7-foot-4 phenom despite trying various defensive looks. “We put different guys on him. Started with Toumani. Jerami had him a little bit when we went small. And our bigs also. He had an amazing game, of course,” he said. “It’s really hard to take him out of the paint. I think we did a good job for the most part.”
While Wembanyama took the spotlight, Portland saw a standout performance from Deni Avdija, who recorded 30 points and 10 rebounds to become the first Blazer to post a 30-10-5 line in a playoff game.
“I feel like it was a special night for most of us. Playing against a good team in their arena, with their fans. And I feel like we were a little bit excited. For a lot of our guys, it was our first playoff, including myself,” noted the 25-year-old Israeli forward.
“I’m very positive from what I saw today. I feel like we didn’t play great. We didn’t shoot the ball great. Our defense needs to be sharper. I think we weren’t far off,” Avdija added, recapping the losing effort in Game 1.
The best-of-seven series continues Tuesday night in San Antonio for Game 2 before shifting to Portland.
NBA Playoffs 2026
Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
1. Detroit Pistons – Orlando Magic 0-1 (101-112)
2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors 1-0 (126-113)
3. New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 1-0 (113-102)
4. Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 1-0 (123-91)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
5. Winners 1-2
6. Winners 3-4
Finals (best-of-seven)
Winners of Semifinals
Western Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
1. Oklahoma City Thunder – Phoenix Suns 1-0 (119-84)
2. Los Angeles Lakers – Houston Rockets 1-0 (107-98)
3. Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves 1-0 (126-115)
4. San Antonio Spurs – Portland Trail Blazers 1-0 (111-98)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
5. Winners 1-2
6. Winners 3-4
Finals (best-of-seven)
Winners of Semifinals
NBA Finals 2026 (best-of-seven)
Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions