Spurs validate seeding

San Antonio opened its first-round series by beating Portland 111-98 on April 19, giving the No. 2 seed an early result that matched its regular-season profile. (espn.com) Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his playoff debut, Devin Vassell added 24, and De’Aaron Fox finished with 21 points and eight assists in San Antonio’s home win at Frost Bank Center. (espn.com) San Antonio finished the regular season 62-20, went 32-8 at home, and entered the matchup after winning two of three games against Portland, including an April 8 win without Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. (nba.com) That record is why Game 1 was read less as an upset check and more as a test of whether San Antonio’s strengths would hold in a slower, possession-by-possession series. The Spurs were one of the league’s best two-way teams with Wembanyama on the floor, posting a plus-17 net rating in the regular season. (nba.com) The box score looked like that formula. San Antonio shot 47.6% from the field, made 15 of 33 three-pointers, and won the rebounding battle 45-34 while keeping turnovers to 13. (nba.com) Portland still showed the pressure points that could shape the rest of the series. Deni Avdija scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the Trail Blazers got 11 assists from Jrue Holiday, but they never recovered from a first quarter that ended with San Antonio up 30-21. (espn.com) The matchup also carries extra weight in San Antonio because this is the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2019 and Mitch Johnson’s first postseason series as head coach after taking over for Gregg Popovich. (axios.com) (nba.com) The schedule now turns quickly to Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21, before the series shifts to Portland for Games 3 and 4 on April 24 and April 26. One win did not settle the series, but it did give San Antonio a Game 1 that looked like the season that earned its seed. (nba.com)