The San Antonio Spurs earned a thrilling 118-116 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, rallying from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Victor Wembanyama delivered another outstanding performance, finishing with 28 points and capping the game with two free throws in the final seconds.
Here are three key takeaways from the dramatic victory:
Victor Wembanyama continues to prove why he is a superstar. The second-year center scored 28 points – and he stepped up when it mattered most. With the game tied and just 2.1 seconds left on the clock, the 20-year-old calmly hit two free throws to seal the win.
In a game where the Spurs were outnumbered and trailing by double digits late, Wembanyama’s ability to lead and finish the game showed how important he is to San Antonio’s success.
Nights like these are a reminder of why Spurs’ future looks so bright with him at the helm.
Jerami Grant was a problem for the Spurs all night long. He lit up the third quarter with 22 of his 32 points and was lethal from beyond the arc, knocking down 8 of 10 three-pointers, matching his season high.
Grant also came through in crucial time, tying the game at 116 with a clutch layup in the final seconds. But his foul on Wembanyama moments later proved costly as it gave Spurs the chance to seal victory on the line.
Despite his stellar performance, the Blazers couldn’t finish the job – a frustrating trend for Portland this season.
The Spurs were already missing several key players, including Stephon Castle, Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins and Tre Jones. Then Chris Paul was ejected late in the first quarter after suffering two technical issues, leaving San Antonio with only 10 available players.
But this team didn’t back down. Devin Vassell came off the bench to score 23 points, while Jeremy Sochan and Julian Champagnie made big plays late in the fourth quarter to spark the comeback.
It was an absolute team effort and a testament to the work Mitch Johnson has done so far this season.
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