Wembanyama's playoff debut

Victor Wembanyama opened his first National Basketball Association playoff game with 35 points, and San Antonio beat Portland 111-98 to take Game 1 on April 19. (apnews.com) The Spurs center made five 3-pointers, added five rebounds and two blocks, and scored 14 points in the fourth quarter at Frost Bank Center. (espn.com) The National Basketball Association said the 35 points were the most by a Spurs player in a postseason debut, and the league’s live playoff coverage said he also became the first player with at least 35 points and five 3-pointers in a playoff debut. (nba.com) San Antonio had not won a playoff game in seven years, and the crowd at Frost Bank Center watched Wembanyama check out with 52.8 seconds left as the Spurs closed out their first-round opener. (espn.com) The result pushed a young Spurs core into the center of the Western Conference bracket on the first weekend of the 2026 playoffs. National Basketball Association recap coverage listed San Antonio with the other Game 1 winners Sunday: Boston, Oklahoma City and Orlando. (nba.com) Wembanyama entered the postseason after a second regular season in which he averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists, according to his player page on National Basketball Association.com. (nba.com) Portland, the No. 7 seed, opened the series with Deni Avdija in a featured role, but San Antonio’s size and shot-making gave the Blazers little room once the Spurs took control in the second half. (sports.yahoo.com) The game’s afterlife started almost immediately. National Basketball Association highlight packages and social clips pushed Wembanyama’s scoring line, the five 3-pointers and the debut record across the league’s playoff feed within hours of the final buzzer. (nba.com) Game 1 turned Wembanyama’s first playoff appearance into a record line and a 1-0 Spurs lead, with Game 2 now carrying the weight that follows an opener like this. (apnews.com)