The San Antonio Spurs got out to an early lead in Game 5 against the Portland Trail Blazers and never looked back. They will take on either the Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round.
A well-balanced San Antonio Spurs' attack was enough to end the Portland Trail Blazers' season, as the Spurs won in front of their home fans in Game 5, 114-105.
The Spurs were led by a red-hot Julian Champagnie, who scored a quick 11 points in the first quarter. He would finish with an efficient 19 points, showcasing his shooting chops, but would be passed up by De'Aaron Fox, who added 21 of his own.
The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, were led by Deni Avdija's 22 points, who did manage to get downhill all game long, although his offense was one-dimensional. In the fourth quarter, he took offense to a hard foul from De'Aaron Fox, but since the officials have called everything Avdija's way this series, Fox figured he might as well make it count.
Avdija will have plenty of time this offseason to get over it!
Spurs Hold Off Blazers, Win First Series Since 2017
While it took until 7:49 left in the third quarter for the Blazers to hit 50 points, they got within nine points in the final frame after trailing by 28 points in the second half.
The series ended up going the Spurs' way, although the five games were defined by comebacks. In the final four games, the winner of each contest came back from down at least a dozen points, and Portland looked to continue the trend in Game 5, but it was far too little, far too late.
While Champagnie and Fox led the way for the Spurs, it was more of a well-balanced attack. Six players scored double digits, and only one scored more than 20. All series (and season!) long, the Spurs and the coaching staff have harped about how anyone can take control of the game on any given night, but in front of a rabid Jackals group, the Spurs instead decided to show off their teamwork.
The Spurs went 1-3 this season against the Denver Nuggets and 1-2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they will have to take on one of those squads in the second round.
However, if Denver roars back from their 3-2 deficit, the series will go the distance, and they will enter round two exhausted.
If the Wolves hold them off, they will be without Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards for the second-round series, giving the Spurs a key advantage no matter who they meet.