Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominant double-double performance, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 114-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and clinching their first NBA playoff series win since 2016.
The Spurs, who jumped out to a 28-point lead, completed a 4-1 series victory behind Wembanyama's 17 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks. De'Aaron Fox added a game-high 21 points as six San Antonio players scored in double figures.
"It was as sharp as we've been," said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson. His team, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, will face either the Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference semifinals. The Timberwolves currently lead that series 3-2.
Portland coach Tiago Splitter praised the Spurs, saying, "They are a great basketball team. They have a superstar who changed the game. They deserve it."
In other playoff action, Joel Embiid scored 33 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 113-97 victory over the Boston Celtics, cutting their series deficit to 3-2. Embiid, playing his second game since an emergency appendectomy on April 9, said, "I found my rhythm in the second half. We adjusted some stuff at halftime and got a win."
The New York Knicks also moved to the brink of advancing, beating the Atlanta Hawks 126-97 to take a 3-2 series lead. Jalen Brunson scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, and London-born teammate OG Anunoby contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds.