Victor Wembanyama is just beginning to assert himself on the playoff stage.
Victor Wembanayama’s record-setting playoff debut for the San Antonio Spurs is in the books, and the Spurs handled business against the Portland Trail Blazers in their first playoff appearance since 2019.
Now, how will both teams settle into the series after the Spurs took Game 1 111-98 on Sunday? What’s next for Wembanyama? Can the Trail Blazers get offensive help for Deni Avdija? Those answers will become apparent over the next week.
Here are three things to watch between the Trail Blazers and Spurs in Game 2 Tuesday (8 ET, NBC/Peacock):
1. What does Wembanyama do for a playoff encore?
Victor Wembanyama sets a Spurs playoff record with 35 points in his postseason debut.
Wembanyama set a franchise record for most points in a playoff debut, scoring 35 and passing Tim Duncan (32).
So. What does the third-year star – who is a finalist for Kia MVP and won his first Defensive Player of the Year award on Monday – do in Game 2?
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama has lofty goals and expectations for himself. Winning is at the top of that list, especially in April, May and June.
“Whatever it takes” is the answer.
Wembanyama had five rebounds in Game 1 – that’s more than six below his season average of 11.5. Look for Wembanyama to be aggressive on the glass and pay attention to how he adapts to Portland’s physicality.
He could be more well-rounded with his passing after just one assist and more careful with ball protection after four turnovers in the series opener.
2. Can the Trail Blazers generate more offense?
Portland finished the regular season with the NBA’s 21st-ranked offense, scoring 113.1 points per 100 possessions. That poses a difficult challenge for the Trail Blazers against the Spurs’ third-ranked defense.
There were some positives for the Blazers: they were down just two points with under eight minutes left in the third quarter; Jrue Holiday and Shaedon Sharpe had rough shooting efforts; and Deni Avdija scored a team-high 30 points.
Deni Avdija turns in a 30-point performance while making his playoff debut.
Holiday was 4-for-15 from the field and 1-for-7 on 3-pointers, and Sharpe averaged a career-best 20.8 points but had just 10 points on 4-for-13 shooting, including 0-for-4 on 3s. San Antonio’s perimeter defense had a role in that, but improved shooting from Holiday and Sharpe will impact the outcome.
The Blazers need to score more than 98 points to win games in this series. It’s not easy against the Spurs, but if the Blazers can generate more offense, that will help determine how this series looks moving forward.
3. How does Spurs coach Mitch Johnson handle the playoffs?
In his first full season as coach after taking over for Gregg Popovich on an interim basis last season, Johnson was fantastic this season, leading the Spurs to a 62-20 record and the No. 2 seed in the West. He was named on Sunday one of three finalists for Coach of the Year.
He didn’t face many decisions that required scrutiny in Game 1 – and that speaks to the gameplan Johnson and his coaching staff put together. The Spurs were in control, and when Portland made it a close game in the third quarter, the Spurs extended the league and ensured there would not be a close finish.
But there will come a time when Johnson’s decision-making and strategy will be under the microscope.
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Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at jzillgitt@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.