Spurs beat Trail Blazers 111-98 in Game 1

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 111-98 on Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series, with Victor Wembanyama leading all scorers with 35 points as San Antonio took early control and stayed in front for most of the night at Frost Bank Center.

Quarter-by-quarter breakdown

First Quarter

San Antonio set the tone quickly with a 30-21 opening quarter. The Spurs were sharper from the start on both ends, moved into clean offensive rhythm, and created an early cushion with efficient perimeter shooting. Portland had trouble matching that pace in the half court and spent much of the period trying to settle in.

Second Quarter

The Trail Blazers responded with better offensive flow in the second, but the Spurs still edged the quarter 29-28. Portland got more organized as a playmaking group and found enough scoring to keep the margin from growing too quickly, yet San Antonio continued to answer key possessions and took a 59-49 lead into halftime.

Third Quarter

The game tilted more firmly toward the Spurs in the third. San Antonio outscored Portland 28-23 in the period, stretching the lead to 15 entering the fourth quarter. Wembanyama remained the central factor, and the Spurs’ spacing continued to make a difference as they built on an already efficient shooting night.

Fourth Quarter

Portland made a late push and won the final quarter 26-24, but the comeback never fully materialized. The Trail Blazers trimmed the deficit in stretches, yet San Antonio stayed composed, got enough stops, and closed out the opener without needing overtime.

Key performers

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: Wembanyama led all scorers with 35 points and set the standard for San Antonio’s offense throughout the night. He was the game’s most influential scorer and the biggest reason the Spurs were able to maintain separation.

De’Aaron Fox, Spurs: Fox directed the offense with 8 assists, helping San Antonio generate quality looks across the floor. His pace and decision-making complemented Wembanyama’s scoring and helped the Spurs finish with 24 assists.

Stephon Castle, Spurs: Castle led San Antonio with 7 rebounds, adding another steady contribution in a well-balanced home performance. The Spurs finished plus-7 on the glass overall, 45-38.

Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers: Avdija was Portland’s top performer, posting 30 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. He supplied consistent offense, but the Trail Blazers needed more collective efficiency to seriously threaten in the second half.

Jrue Holiday, Trail Blazers: Holiday handed out 11 assists and kept Portland organized offensively. The Trail Blazers actually finished with more assists than San Antonio, 28-24, but their outside shooting limited the overall return on that ball movement.

NerdSports Stat: San Antonio won by 13 even though Portland finished with more assists, 28-24; the difference came from shot value, as the Spurs made five more three-pointers and shot 19.2 percentage points better from deep, 45.5% to 26.3%.

Game analysis

This game came down to efficiency, control, and shot quality. San Antonio shot 47.6% from the field and 45.5% from three-point range, converting 15 of 33 attempts from beyond the arc. Portland made 39 field goals, just one fewer than the Spurs, but needed 91 shots to get there and finished at 42.9% overall.

The three-point line was especially important. The Trail Blazers went 10-for-38 from deep, while the Spurs went 15-for-33. That 15-point edge from long range gave San Antonio room to absorb Portland’s advantages in assists and shot volume. The Spurs also did a better job on the glass, finishing with a 45-38 rebounding edge.

San Antonio’s strongest stretch came early and then again in the third quarter. The Spurs built the lead with a 30-point first quarter, kept it steady before halftime, and then extended it with a 28-23 third. From there, they did not need a major closing run; they simply managed the margin and avoided the kind of mistakes that can swing a playoff opener.

For Portland, Avdija’s 30-point, 10-rebound night was an encouraging sign, and Holiday’s playmaking gave the offense structure. But the Trail Blazers will likely look at the perimeter numbers first heading into Game 2. Better three-point efficiency and a stronger defensive start would go a long way in tightening this series.

For the Spurs, this was the kind of playoff opener they wanted at home: a strong start, an elite scoring performance from Wembanyama, and enough offensive balance to keep control across all four quarters.

With the win, San Antonio moves ahead 1-0 in the best-of-seven first-round series and builds on its 62-20 regular-season finish in the Western Conference. Portland, which entered the playoffs at 42-40, now heads into Game 2 needing a road response before the series shifts out of San Antonio.

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