Wemby’s big debut

Victor Wembanyama opened his first National Basketball Association playoff game with 35 points, and San Antonio beat Portland 111-98 in Game 1 on Sunday, April 19. (apnews.com) He made 13 of 21 shots and five three-pointers at Frost Bank Center, giving the Spurs a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference series. (espn.com) The Spurs got 17 points from De’Aaron Fox, 17 more from Stephon Castle and 15 from Devin Vassell, while Portland was led by Deni Avdija’s 30 points and 10 rebounds. (oregonlive.com) Wembanyama’s 35 points were the most by a Spurs player in a playoff debut, and his 21 first-half points were the most in the opening half of a playoff debut since the National Basketball Association’s play-by-play era began in 1997. (usnews.com) San Antonio entered the postseason as the West’s No. 2 seed after a 62-20 regular season, its best finish since Wembanyama arrived in 2023 and a sharp jump from the franchise’s recent rebuilding years. (espn.com) Portland reached this matchup as the No. 7 seed at 42-40, so Game 1 paired one of the West’s best regular-season teams with a club that came through the play-in field. (espn.com) The result also fit the first weekend of the bracket, when Oklahoma City, Boston, Orlando and San Antonio all opened their first-round series with wins. (nba.com) Game 2 is set for Tuesday, April 21, in San Antonio before the series shifts to Portland for Games 3 and 4. (nba.com)