SCOOT Henderson delivered 31 points as the Portland Trail Blazers clawed back from a double-digit deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs, 106-103, and tie their NBA Western Conference playoff series on Tuesday night (Wednesday in the Philippines) in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio’s momentum shifted in the second quarter after star big man Victor Wembanyama exited with a concussion. The 7-foot-4 center fell hard to the floor following contact and did not return.
Despite losing Wembanyama early, the Spurs appeared in control for much of the contest and surged to a 14-point advantage at the start of the fourth quarter. However, their offense faltered down the stretch.
The Trail Blazers held San Antonio scoreless from the field over the final 3:37 and closed the game with an 11-2 run. Robert Williams III put Portland ahead for good with an alley-oop finish with 12 seconds remaining, converting a setup from Deni Avdija to make it 104-101.
Jrue Holiday contributed 16 points and nine assists for Portland, while Avdija added 14 points and Williams finished with 11 markers as they tied the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
Stephon Castle paced the Spurs with 18 points, while De’Aaron Fox chipped in 17. Devin Vassell recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Wembanyama was limited to five points, four rebounds, one block, and one assist in 12 minutes.
League rules require players in concussion protocol to undergo at least 48 hours of rest and pass a series of evaluations, including neurological testing, before being cleared to return.
At Boston, V.J. Edgecombe had 30 points and 10 rebounds while playing through pain after taking a hard fall on his back early in the game and Philadelphia 76ers beat the Celtics, 111-97, to tie their East series at 1-1.
Tyrese Maxey chipped in 29 points to go with nine assists for the 76ers. Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Andre Drummond also contributed 19, 12, and 10 points, respectively.
Edgecombe, the third overall pick in the recent Rookie Draft, is the first rookie to record at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Tim Duncan on May 5, 1998.
Los Angeles Lakers, on the other hand, surged to a 2-0 record in Western Conference series after a 101-94 win over Houston Rockets in Game 2. LeBron James led the way with 28 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds./PN
