Wembanyama’s double-double helps the Spurs take the series
Victor Wembanyama had a double-double to help the San Antonio Spurs secure their first NBA playoff series win in nine years.
The Spurs led by as many as 28 points en route to a 114-95 win at Texas and a 4-1 series victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Wembanyama recorded 17 points and 14 rebounds while De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 21 points as six San Antonio players reached double figures.
“He was as strong as we were,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson, whose team is the second seed in the Western Conference and joins the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals.
Wembanyama, who has already been named this season’s Defensive Player of the Year, added six blocks for San Antonio.
“[They are] a great basketball team,” added Portland coach Tiago Splitter. “They have a superstar who changed the game. They deserve it.”
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The Spurs will next face the Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves, with the Timberwolves leading the series 3-2.
In the Eastern Conference, Joel Embiid scored 33 points as Philadelphia 76ers won 113-97 at the Boston Celtics to keep the series alive.
Embiid was playing in his second game since undergoing an emergency appendectomy on April 9 and helped the Sixers cut their series deficit to 3-2.
If they can win Game 6 in Philadelphia on Thursday, the series will go to second-seeded Boston on Saturday.
“I found my rhythm in the second half,” Embiid said. “We fixed some things at halftime and got a win. That’s all that matters.
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“We’re going to need everyone back in Boston.”
The winners will face the New York Knicks or the Atlanta Hawks, with third-seeded New York leading 3-2 after a 126-97 home win.
Jalen Brunson scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter to hold off the Knicks while London-born teammate OG Anunoby had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
If Atlanta wins at home on Thursday, it will return to New York for the decisive game on Saturday.