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Spurs Clinch Series, Wembanyama Posts Rare 17-14-6

4/30/2026

24 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Spurs clinch series

Spurs beat Trail Blazers 114–95 in Game 5 on April 28, 2026, clinching series 4-1.
The win gave Spurs first playoff series victory since 2017 and moved them to the second round.
Victor Wembanyama logged 17 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and three assists, not seen since 1994.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points, nine assists and 13 fourth-quarter points.
Six Spurs players scored in double figures while Portland shot 35.1% and 23.4% from three.

Summary

Wembanyama Returns

Victor Wembanyama missed Game 3 with a concussion, returned in Game 4 and posted at least 10 rebounds and six blocks, first such playoff line since Hakeem Olajuwon.
Rookie forward Dylan Harper stepped up in Game 3, scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to keep San Antonio ahead.
The 22-year-old Frenchman entered the postseason as Defensive Player of the Year, his low-usage offense letting all five starters finish in double figures.

History

Historical Context

In 1994 the Houston Rockets won the NBA title as Hakeem Olajuwon anchored the defense, then repeated in 1995 as the league’s lowest-seeded champion (a 6th seed). That rim-protection legacy resurfaced in 2026 when Victor Wembanyama’s interior play helped the San Antonio Spurs beat Portland. Both eras show elite interior defense can revive a franchise’s playoff fortunes.

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Spurs clinch series

Spurs beat Trail Blazers 114–95 in Game 5 on April 28, 2026, clinching series 4-1.
The win gave Spurs first playoff series victory since 2017 and moved them to the second round.
Victor Wembanyama logged 17 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and three assists, not seen since 1994.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points, nine assists and 13 fourth-quarter points.
Six Spurs players scored in double figures while Portland shot 35.1% and 23.4% from three.

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