Spurs advance with Game 5 win

San Antonio closed out Portland 114-95 on Tuesday night in Game 5 and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. (nba.com) (espn.com) The Spurs finished the first-round series 4-1 after building a 36-24 lead after one quarter and a 65-45 halftime edge at Frost Bank Center. (espn.com) (nba.com) De'Aaron Fox led San Antonio with 21 points and nine assists, then scored 13 points in the fourth quarter when Portland trimmed the margin. (nba.com) (espn.com) Victor Wembanyama finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and three assists. NBA.com said he became the first player since Patrick Ewing in 1994 to post consecutive playoff double-doubles with at least six blocks. (nba.com) San Antonio got scoring from across the rotation. NBA.com said six Spurs reached double figures, and the team shot 66.7% from the field in the first half. (nba.com) Portland's top scorer was Deni Avdija with 22 points, while the Blazers finished the night at 33-for-94 from the field. The official scorer listed the sellout crowd at 19,063. (espn.com) (nba.com) The win gave San Antonio its first playoff series victory since 2017. It was also the first series win for Wembanyama, Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and coach Mitch Johnson, who took over after Gregg Popovich's health issues. (nba.com) The bracket is not fully set around them yet. NBA.com's playoff page lists San Antonio in the semifinals awaiting the winner of Denver-Minnesota, while Oklahoma City had already advanced on the other side of the West bracket. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) For now, the Spurs have what they had not reached in nine years: a second-round spot, sealed with a comfortable Game 5 at home. (nba.com) (espn.com)