Spurs erase 17‑point hole with Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama returned from concussion protocol Sunday, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-93 to take a 3-1 series lead. (espn.com) San Antonio trailed 58-41 at halftime at Moda Center before flipping the game with a 73-35 second half. Portland finished with 35 points after the break. (espn.com) (theathletic.com) Wembanyama posted 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks in 34 minutes after the Spurs cleared him to start about an hour before tipoff. (espn.com) (nba.com) De'Aaron Fox added 28 points, and the Spurs had the game tied 74-74 by the end of the third quarter after opening the half with a 13-0 run. (sports.yahoo.com) (espn.com) The win pushed San Antonio to the edge of the Western Conference first round after the series was tied 1-1 earlier in the week. The Spurs had already won Game 3 in Portland without Wembanyama. (espn.com) (nba.com) Game 4 also landed in the record book. NBA.com said the Spurs became the first playoff team to trail by 15 or more at halftime and still win by 15 or more. (nba.com) Portland got 26 points from Deni Avdija, but San Antonio's defense changed once Wembanyama was back protecting the rim. The Blazers shot 42% from the field for the game. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) Wembanyama said after the game that the league's concussion protocol had been "very disappointing," while adding that Spurs doctors "were great" and took care of him. (sports.yahoo.com) The series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday, with the Spurs one win from closing out the No. 7-seeded Trail Blazers. (espn.com)