Victor Wembanyama made a successful return to the court, posting 27 points, 11 rebounds, and seven blocks as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 114-93, taking a 3-1 lead in their first-round series. De'Aaron Fox contributed 28 points to the Spurs' victory. Wembanyama, the Defensive Player of the Year, had been sidelined with a concussion but was cleared to play after completing the league's concussion protocol.
Although he expressed disappointment with the handling of his return and the protocol, he praised the Spurs' medical staff. The Spurs trailed by 17 points at halftime but staged a comeback, with Fox and Keldon Johnson hitting crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter. Johnson's dunk with 4:31 remaining sealed the win for San Antonio. Wembanyama reflected on the team's resilience, saying, 'We stick together, we get closer to each other, we feed off of each other's energy.' Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 26 points, and a tense moment between Avdija and Stephon Castle resulted in offsetting technical fouls.
The Spurs will host Game Five on Tuesday night.