The Portland Trail Blazers secured a 120-109 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night, fueled by a dominant performance from Toumani Camara. The Blazers (12th in the West) held off a late push by the Spurs (13th in the West) to snap their two-game losing streak.
Camara finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, leading the way for Portland, who were eliminated from play-in contention after Sacramento’s victory over Cleveland. Despite the setback in the playoff race, the Blazers held their ground and came away with a hard-fought win.
San Antonio, which had already seen its postseason hopes dashed, put up a valiant effort. Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 22 points, while Devin Vassell added 21. However, the Spurs’ rally fell short as Portland maintained a steady lead throughout most of the game.
The Blazers surged early, building a 17-point advantage in the first half. However, the Spurs closed the gap, trailing just 54-45 at the break. A quick burst in the third quarter saw San Antonio come within 97-88, but Portland quickly extended its lead again thanks to Camara’s clutch 3-pointer.
The Spurs made one last push in the final minutes, as Chris Paul’s layup and free throw trimmed the Blazers’ lead to 108-102. But Camara’s three-pointer quickly extinguished the threat, putting Portland back ahead by double digits.
Portland’s depth proved to be key in the win. Shaedon Sharpe added 21 points, Dalano Banton chipped in 20, and Kris Murray had a season-high 18 points. Murray also contributed five rebounds and four assists, helping Portland maintain control in the final stretch.
Despite missing several key players—including Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Deni Avdija—Portland’s bench stepped up, with contributions from Rayan Rupert (7 points) and Jabari Walker (10 points). The Blazers shot 47.2% from the field and drained 15 of 41 three-point attempts (36.6%).
The Spurs, who were without their stars, Victor Wembanyama, due to blood cot issue, and De’Aaron Fox, due to finger injury, struggled offensively from beyond the arc, converting only 32.4% of their three-point attempts. They shot 43.2% overall from the field but couldn’t keep pace with Portland’s offensive firepower.
With the victory, the Blazers improved to 32-46, but their postseason hopes officially ended after Sacramento’s win. For the Spurs, the loss dropped them to 32-46, leaving them mathematically eliminated from the play-in tournament.
