Game Thread Playoffs Round 1, Game 2: Spurs vs Blazers (1-0) (Tue 04/21/2026) [7:00 CDT]

That's good he's ok. I know a lot of people dislike him but I feel his veteran presence helps especially in this type of situation. Plus I think he has the best chance of having a fluky shooting night where he can get 20 points sometime during this series.
Very true. As much as I've bagged on him, unfortunately, I trust him more to have a good shooting game than a lot of the players on the team. You have to hit shots in the playoffs and I was worried about the Spurs being able to hit them. The three guards aren't great shooters and I was apprehensive on how that might work in the playoffs if one of two of them don't have good shooting games.

I honestly feel like Portland has played with more confidence these first two games.
 
Scoot for the series is averaging 24.5 points and is doing it on 64 percent shooting from the field. His regular season average is 14.2 points on 40 percent overall shooting from the field. He is playing out of his ass in this series. Spurs have to find a way to bring him down to earth. He's usually not an efficient player.
 
Game 4's 3:30pm ET, yeah? I wish that game was later to give more time between games 3 & 4.
If Wemby isn't good to go for game 3 I don't see him playing game 4 either tbh. Spurs need to nut up and find a way to win game 3 even if he doesn't play because if they go down 2-1 the Guests will start to smell blood in the water.
 
Scoot for the series is averaging 24.5 points and is doing it on 64 percent shooting from the field. His regular season average is 14.2 points on 40 percent overall shooting from the field. He is playing out of his ass in this series. Spurs have to find a way to bring him down to earth. He's usually not an efficient player.
Scoot might be playing above his regular season average, but he's had this talent in him. It's not a fluke IMO. He can hit shots, and it seems he gets up for big games (he got up for those games against Victor when they played his Mets team).
You are right, though, they have to slow him down, but I just don't see how. I can just see it that he's trying to make a point/name for himself this series.


If Wemby isn't good to go for game 3 I don't see him playing game 4 either tbh. Spurs need to nut up and find a way to win game 3 even if he doesn't play because if they go down 2-1 the Guests will start to smell blood in the water.
I think you're spot on with that assessment. The scenario you lay out is exactly what I was thinking at the end of the game. I mean, it's why I wanted them to win game 2 so badly. I thought they might be coming back from Portland tied if Victor doesn't play. Regardless of Victor playing or not, they have to find a way to come back home tied up.
 
Steph officially got an NBA tour dates post I fear.

He hasn't looked right ever since that knee started acting up last week of season. Between that, Harper's busted thumb and Fox's loser ball, this team back court getting collectively outplayed by Scoot Henderson of all people, added to Wemby's guaranteed absence, and you've got a recipe for a brewing major upset.
 
Let's hope it was a flash knockout type of hit that doesnt have lasting effects past a few hours. Here's the requirements per Kens5 article



Under the NBA's concussion policy, Wemby must wait at least 48 hours after his time of injury before returning to "full participation without restrictions," while also fulfilling several requirements for return.

Those include:

Regular monitoring for the first 24 hours
Steadily increasing energy exertion, starting with stationary bike and moving on to jogging, agility work and non-contact team drills--all under medical staff observation
Neurological examinations performed through each exertion stage, with the requirement that Wembanyama be symptom-free before moving to the next one

The NBA restricts players from returning to full, unrestricted participation until he checks off the following boxes:

No concussion-related symptoms "at rest"
He's been evaluated by a physician with the appropriate injury knowledge
Has undergone and completed the return-to-participation exertion process and been cleared
NBA officials confirm the clearance with a team physician
 
He hasn't looked right ever since that knee started acting up last week of season. Between that, Harper's busted thumb and Fox's loser ball, this team back court getting collectively outplayed by Scoot Henderson of all people, added to Wemby's guaranteed absence, and you've got a recipe for a brewing major upset.
This is what I'm feeling now. I had supreme confidence heading into the playoffs, but the tone in game 1, I didn't like it. I don't feel they showed up in game 1 either (apart from Victor having a great game). They've started both games jittery and that is not the tone you want to set in the playoffs.

Again, I also don't believe in resting guys. I think the Spurs should have been playing all out in the regular season to finish the season if guys weren't hurt. Did Steph really hurt his knee, if so, and you might be right, that could be affecting him. We likely won't hear about it during the series, though.
 
tough to have the first playoff experience (for this core group) like this
Long term it should be beneficial. See who can raise their level when the time calls for it. Again, if this team sans Wemby can't beat this Portland team they were never legitimate contenders. Just hope one of Castle/Harper shows something so the Spurs can identify Wemby's true Robin.
 
tough to have the first playoff experience (for this core group) like this
Very true. It's going to sting and be a failure if they don't get out of the first round. Going into the playoffs, I was thinking WCF or Championship, but now, I'd be super happy with second round as that is what I wanted 4 or so months ago (good playoff experience outside of round 1).

Long term it should be beneficial. See who can raise their level when the time calls for it. Again, if this team sans Wemby can't beat this Portland team they were never legitimate contenders. Just hope one of Castle/Harper shows something so the Spurs can identify Wemby's true Robin.
The thing is, I would have been confident in these guys a 4-5 weeks ago to still have a shot at winning the series, but what has changed for them to look so bad without Victor now? They now look terrible when Victor isn't playing. They couldn't even beat the Nuggets' third team to end the season.
 
legit had to unfollow the Blazers on social media. Cant believe we lost to this mid ass team lol
 
Very true. It's going to sting and be a failure if they don't get out of the first round. Going into the playoffs, I was thinking WCF or Championship, but now, I'd be super happy with second round as that is what I wanted 4 or so months ago (good playoff experience outside of round 1).


The thing is, I would have been confident in these guys a 4-5 weeks ago to still have a shot at winning the series, but what has changed for them to look so bad without Victor now? They now look terrible when Victor isn't playing. They couldn't even beat the Nuggets' third team to end the season.
The same issue most of us have been bitching about all season: this team's lack of Center depth. The fact the FO didn't do anything to address it during the season other than adding a washed Plumlee is roster malpractice tbh.
 
I’m feeling a little better now after taking my mind off it for a bit. I think the most frustrating and disheartening thing is that our guys didn’t take advantage of a pedestrian game by Avdija. He’ll be back next game and I don’t think he’ll suck in front of his home crowd
But Scoot more than made up for him... we're not gonna see Scoot do this again almost certainly
Meanwhile lots of our guys sucked and we should have still won the game if not for a late 4th quarter collapse. I think we'll be fine and we can without Wemby, Kornet is gonna have to shoulder a few more minutes he needs to get up to 30-32 mins at least and Mitch needs to have the balls to bench a Fox or Castle when they're playing like ass
 
The same issue most of us have been bitching about all season: this team's lack of Center depth. The fact the FO didn't do anything to address it during the season other than adding a washed Plumlee is roster malpractice tbh.
Yeah I know it’s stupid to get worked up over the 15th man but what was the point of bringing him in if we weren’t going to use him for emergency situations anyway? Such a useless signing when we already had Biyombo.
 
Carter Bryant played well but he isn't a Center. Spurs were -13 in the small ball lineup.
It's time to try Plumlee next game
 
The same issue most of us have been bitching about all season: this team's lack of Center depth. The fact the FO didn't do anything to address it during the season other than adding a washed Plumlee is roster malpractice tbh.
I really wonder what went into MATFO's thought process with our Center situation tbh. Like no way they actually thought they could get away with playing the corpses of Biyombo or Plumlee in the Playoffs if necessary.
 
Carter Bryant played well but he isn't a Center. Spurs were -13 in the small ball lineup.
It's time to try Plumlee next game
Same reason we dropped game 82 to Denver. Playing a 6'6 wing at Center simply isn't going to work against these guys. Could get ugly in POR if/when we trot Plumlee out there again tbh.
 
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