Wembanyama's Record-Breaking Playoff Debut Leads Spurs to Victory
Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his playoff debut, setting a franchise record and leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 111-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round series.
In his first NBA playoff appearance, Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series. Wembanyama's performance set a franchise record for the most points in a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan's 32 points in 1998.
The 22-year-old forward also set an NBA record by scoring 21 points in the first half, the most in the opening half of a playoff debut since the league's play-by-play era began in 1997.
Teammates Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox each contributed 17 points and combined for 15 assists. On the opposing side, Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 30 points and 10 rebounds.
This game marked the Spurs' first playoff appearance since 2019 and their first without longtime coach Gregg Popovich. Under the leadership of rookie head coach Mitch Johnson, the team secured the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday night in San Antonio.
