This season, the Spurs played the Portland Trail Blazers three times landing with a 2-1 edge over Rip City. In each of those three games, Victor Wembanyama sat out with an injury or injury management.<\/p>\n
On November 26th, the Spurs played in Portland. Wemby was sitting out the fifth of twelve games while nursing a left calf strain.<\/p>\n
On January 3rd, Wembanyama was sitting out his second game as a result of hyperextended left knee obtained during the New Year\u2019s Eve matchup against the New York Knicks.<\/p>\n
And then as the season was winding down, Victor once again sat out on April 8th with a left rib contusion after colliding with Paul George two days prior.<\/p>\n
Portland, coming off a game-ending upset in Phoenix, secured the 7th seed and now face the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n
While the Spurs didn\u2019t have much trouble with the Trail Blazers in those three games, there are some logistical considerations.<\/p>\n
For one, Portland\u2019s head coach is Tiago Splitter. Splitter won the 2014 NBA title with the Silver & Black, the run of which included a gentleman\u2019s sweep of the Trail Blazers. He knows the Spurs playbook and was an adept bog man, so counter strategizing will be something to watch.<\/p>\n
With Donovan Clingan as their starting center and Robert Williams III as back up, Wemby will have his hands full on the boards as well as physically in the paint.<\/p>\n
Portland also features Sidy Cissoko and Blake Wesley. While neither is expected to be an ex-factor, but never put it past a competitve player to motivate against their former team.<\/p>\n
In the history of the Spurs and Trail Blazers, they have met four times in the posteseason. The Trail Blazers got the best of the Spurs in 1990, but the Spurs have been victorious in the latter three, two of which (1999 and 2014) were successful title runs.<\/p>\n
Tiago Splitter was asked if he thought Manu and Boris Diaw were rooting for the Spurs or for him as he leads the Trail Blazers.<\/p>\n
He stated that he was confident Manu was all in on the Spurs, but that he\u2019d be better off asking Boris Diaw after a couple of glasses of wine.<\/p>\n
Series kicks off Sunday night.<\/p>\n
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs<\/a> community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.<\/p>\n