Despite Ayton’s Epic Dunk For Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs Prevail – Game Highlights

Portland Trail Blazers’ Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant had 21 points each against San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson and Malaki Banham’s 17 points each at the Frost Bank Center on Thursday, with Ayton dunking a spectacular shot over Victor Wembanyama in the first half. But sadly, this wasn’t enough to save them from a 105-118 loss.

Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs Game Highlights

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich missed his 4th game in a row on Thursday after a medical event last Saturday, but acting coach Mitch Johnson stood in to see his team prevail over the Blazers. The highlights of the game included:

• The rivalry between Ayton and Wembanyana went Blazer’s way. In the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton was picked first, while in 2023, Wembanyama was the first choice.
• Ayton started with averages of 14.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists and shot 50.5% from the field in eight games. Wembanyama’s statistics are 18.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 3.8 blocks, and 42.4% shooting from the field, also in eight games.
• In this game, the former Arizona star racked up 21 points, six rebounds, two steals and a block. In the first 23 minutes, he shot 9/14 from the field and 1/2 from the three-point range.
• Wembanyana had 12 points, while Zach Collins and Julian Champagnie added another 14 points each for the Spurs.
• Aside from 21 points each for Ayton and Grant, Ayton had 21 points had ten rebounds for Portland and Anfernee Simons added another 19.
• A key moment in the game was when Portland was trailing 64-62. San Antonio’s Branham scored four points on a 3-pointer, and an off-the-ball foul on Grant was converted by Wembanyama into a free throw, giving the Spurs a 68-62 lead. After rolling his right ankle, Branham exited two minutes into the fourth quarter.

San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers Full Game Highlights

The Trail Blazers and the Spurs are now both  3-5 in their first eight games of the new season, and the Blazers head out to Minnesota on Friday night.