Victor Wembanyama sank two clutch free throws with just 2.4 seconds remaining, completing the San Antonio Spurs’ rally from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge the Portland Trail Blazers 118-116 on Friday night.
Wembanyama delivered a standout performance, tallying 28 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists while going a perfect 10-for-10 from the line. Devin Vassell contributed 23 points off the bench, Julian Champagnie added 19, and Jeremy Sochan chipped in 15. The Spurs sealed their comeback with a massive 24-4 run in the final period.
Jerami Grant tied his career-best with eight three-pointers, leading the Blazers with 32 points, but Portland dropped its fifth consecutive game. Anfernee Simons recorded 30 points and seven assists, while Deni Avdija added 19 points off the bench.
With 12.2 seconds left, Vassell knocked down a mid-range jumper to give the Spurs a two-point edge. Grant responded with a drive to the rim, tying the game at 116 with 6.4 seconds to play. Wembanyama was fouled on a last-second shot attempt and calmly drained both free throws to secure the victory. Avdija’s desperation heave from half-court fell short as time expired.
San Antonio’s Chris Paul was tossed late in the first quarter after picking up two technical fouls just 11 seconds apart.
Harrison Barnes chipped in 10 points for the Spurs, who shot an efficient 51.8% from the floor and 46.7% (14 of 30) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Shaedon Sharpe paced Portland with 11 points, as the Trail Blazers hit 51.2% of their shots overall and 39% (16 of 41) from beyond the arc.
Facing a 17-point deficit, the Spurs rallied with an 11-0 burst, cutting the gap to 105-99 with 5:27 remaining after a second-chance bucket by Charles Bassey. The surge continued as Julian Champagnie nailed a clutch three-pointer, pushing San Antonio ahead 113-112 with 2:08 left on the clock.
Portland’s Jerami Grant responded with his eighth triple of the night to knot the score at 112 with just over a minute to go. Earlier, Grant had ignited a dominant third quarter for the Blazers, dropping 22 points as Portland outscored San Antonio 46-28 to claim an 88-80 lead. In the fourth quarter, Anfernee Simons and Deni Avdija extended Portland’s advantage to 100-86 with 9:28 left to play. The lead grew to 105-88 after a floater by Jabari Walker.
Undeterred, the Spurs orchestrated an astonishing comeback to clinch a dramatic win.
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