The San Antonio Spurs looked set for a difficult night on Sunday as they trailed 58-41 at halftime against the Portland Trail Blazers.
At that stage, the series appeared destined to be levelled, which would have guaranteed at least six games before either side could secure a place in the conference semi-finals.
However, what followed after the break completely flipped expectations, as the Spurs produced a turnaround that has now earned a place in NBA playoff history.
San Antonio Spurs achieve unprecedented playoff turnaround
San Antonio became the first team in NBA playoff history to trail by 15 or more points at halftime and still win the game by at least 15 points, reports ESPN.
The scale of the comeback underlines just how dramatically the contest shifted, with the Spurs dominating both ends of the floor in the second half.
Victor Wembanyama played a central role in that turnaround, increasing his output from nine points before the break to 18 after halftime.
His presence helped transform the Spurs’ momentum, as they began to control the paint and dictate the tempo of the game.
De’Aaron Fox delivered a crucial contribution, matching that second-half surge by also adding 18 points after scoring 10 in the opening half.
Together, their scoring bursts powered a comeback that quickly turned a heavy deficit into a commanding advantage.
Trail Blazers’ collapse after break proves decisive
Portland’s second-half performance contrasted sharply with their strong start to the game.
The Trail Blazers managed just 35 points after halftime, while the Spurs poured in 73 to complete the turnaround.
Key players saw their influence drop, with Jeremi Grant and Toumani Camara both unable to maintain their earlier impact.
In that context, Scoot Henderson’s struggles stood out, as he failed to score a single point despite playing 27 minutes and taking seven shots.
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