The Portland Trail Blazers will host the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday afternoon at Moda Center for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. Portland enters this matchup trailing 2-1, making this a critical swing game in the series. With a win, the Blazers can even things up before Game 5, but a loss would put them in a difficult 3-1 hole.

This is a massive game for the Trail Blazers. The difference between a 2-2 series and a 3-1 deficit is enormous, especially against a Spurs team with the talent to close things out quickly. Portland already proved it can win in this series, but now it needs another strong response at home to avoid putting itself on the brink.

Victor Wembanyama remains the biggest wild card, both in terms of his availability and how close he can be to himself if he is on the floor. His presence changes everything for San Antonio defensively and gives the Spurs a clear advantage whenever he is able to impact the game at his usual level. Still, this series has not been about just one player.

Like many playoff series, different players have stepped up on different nights. Scoot Henderson had his moment in Game 2, while Dylan Harper was the difference-maker for San Antonio in Game 3. That trend could continue Sunday, whether it is one of those players again or someone new swinging the game. For Portland, the key will be finding enough half-court offense, limiting mistakes and getting a timely performance from one of its core pieces in a game it badly needs.

Following this contest, the Trail Blazers and Spurs will meet again Tuesday for Game 5. Depending on how Sunday unfolds, that matchup could either be a chance for Portland to take control of a tied series or a must-win game to keep its season alive.