San Antonio is back at home and on the verge of punching its ticket to the Western Conference Semifinals.
After a series that has delivered all the emotions for the San Antonio Spurs, they are on the doorstep of ousting the Portland Trail Blazers and advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2017.
The Spurs set themselves up for ultimate victory following a thrilling comeback effort in Game 4. San Antonio found themselves down 17 points at halftime before storming all the way back for a 114-93 win.
San Antonio stunned Portland in back-to-back games in the Pacific Northwest to jump out to a dominant 3-1 lead in a series that has been much closer than the margin indicates.
With this commanding advantage and their leader back on the court, it seems like San Antonio is set up for a return trip to the next round of the playoffs. However, if this series has shown anything, it is that fortunes can flip in an instant.
That brings us to Game 5 back inside Frost Bank Center, where San Antonio can avoid hypothetical disasters and actually close things out. There are a few things that have gone right for the Spurs this series that could prove to be the difference in the hopeful final outing.
The return of Victor Wembanyama did wonders for the team, even if it took a while for him to get going. He went for 27 points, which was second only to De'Aaron Fox, 11 rebounds, and seven blocks.
Although Wembanyama is the focal point for the Spurs, keeping the rest of the cast in rhythm has done wonders for San Antonio. Look no further than Game 4 and Fox's masterclass effort with a game-high 28 points, six rebounds, and seven assists.
One game prior, it was Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, who came off the bench, combining for an eye-popping 60 points.
The Spurs are home to the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award winner in Keldon Johnson, which is a testament to how deep the team truly is. Wemby may be the face, but the rest of the Spurs are the heart of the team's success.
Any win is a good win, but it would be nice if San Antonio did not have to mount an epic comeback for the third-straight game on Tuesday. Back in front of a ravenous home crowd, the Spurs should be able to feed off the energy and be the ones going out in front early.
Not only is getting started strong a crucial key, but continuing to cool down the Blazers is pivotal. In three of the four games this series, Portland has seen a scorer ignite for 30 points or more, with Deni Avdija still going for 26 in Game 4.
Portland has proven to be a pesky bunch, with an argument to be made that they could be the ones up 3-1 in the series, but San Antonio has met the moment when it mattered most.
For that, they get the right to control their own destiny with the latest chapter looking to be written Tuesday night in San Antonio.