Victor Wembanyama delivered 17 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 114-95 in Game 5 on Tuesday at Frost Bank Center.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points, helping San Antonio close the series 4-1 and advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
The Spurs never trailed in the elimination game and led by as many as 28 points while sealing their third straight win in the series.
Fox reflected on his first career playoff series victory after the game, saying, “It’s taken a while, but it definitely feels good.”
He added, “We felt like we put ourselves in the position to win all five of these games, even game two when we lost, we were up like 14 in the fourth quarter.”
The guard emphasized consistency across the series, noting, “So we were disappointed that we lost that game, but you have to move on in the playoffs. At times you lose games like that.”
Fox also pointed to Portland’s ability to respond in stretches, saying, “They probably felt like they let go of some games as well.”
When asked about personal celebration after advancing, Fox was direct, stating, “I’ll celebrate when we win a championship.”
He added, “I don’t do much anyway, so my celebration even for that probably won’t be crazy.”
San Antonio’s physical approach defined the series, and Fox highlighted the learning curve for younger players.
“You know that whenever you’re playing, not just this team, but through it all, it’s going to be physical,” Fox said. “You see the same team for a week, week and a half, maybe two weeks.”
He continued, “You end up not liking each other at least a little bit. Calls at times aren’t going to go your way. Shots at times just aren’t going to go down and you got to be able to find a way to win.”
Fox credited the Spurs’ defense for controlling the series outcome, stating, “I think the way that we did it was defensively.”
He added, “We knew what they wanted to do and we tried to stop that and I think we did a good job at it.”
The Spurs also leaned on physical response, with Fox noting, “You have to be able to hit first.”
He said, “We started off on our heels and had to try to get them on their heels.”
Fox finished by highlighting growth within the roster, saying, “Continue to be you. And that’s how we’re able to dig.”
San Antonio now advances to the Western Conference semifinals, continuing its postseason run behind its defensive identity and late-game execution.
