The Portland Trail Blazers host the San Antonio Spurs for Game 3 on Friday at 10:30 PM ET at the Moda Center, with the 2026 NBA Playoffs first-round series currently tied 1-1.
All everyone could talk about after Game 2 was Victor Wembanyama’s concussion, which he suffered during the second quarter of the Spurs’ 106-103 loss to the Blazers. With the center in concussion protocol, his status for the game is still up in the air. If he doesn’t return, the Blazers will be motivated to steal another game and take a 2-1 series advantage before Wembanyama can return.
Scoot Henderson had a breakout performance with 31 points to lead the Blazers, while Deni Avdija visibly struggled and ended the night with 14 points. Jrue Holiday contributed 16 points, five rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and two blocks in a testament to why he’s a two-time NBA Champion.
Stephon Castle tried stepping up in Wembanyama’s absence but ended the game with an inefficient 18 points (7-20 FG), seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points on 6-16 shooting, while Devin Vassell had 16 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals, with no player emerging as a safe No. 1 option without Wembanyama.
It’s no secret that Wembanyama’s status will cause the biggest swing in this game. The Blazers will have to maximize Game 3 if Wembanyama is ruled out and put themselves in the driver’s seat for the rest of the series.
Injury Report
Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard: Out (Achilles)
Spurs
Victor Wembanyama: Questionable (concussion)
Jordan McLaughlin: Out (ankle)
Why The Trail Blazers Have The Advantage
The Blazers showed tremendous grit in their Game 2 win, overcoming a fourth-quarter deficit to steal the game from the Spurs in front of their home crowd. Now, with home advantage on their side, the Blazers will hope their versatile roster can stand another test from the Spurs without their star center in the lineup. Outside of conceding a 15-0 run between the third and fourth quarters, the Blazers comprehensively proved themselves to be the better team when San Antonio is without Wembanyama.
Scoot Henderson’s ability to attack the rim became a lot more valuable in Wembanyama’s absence, as the 22-year-old guard effectively broke the Spurs’ defense down to put on a scoring clinic. Holiday’s veteran point guard play outmatched what any Spurs guard could produce on-ball, leading to consistently better offensive opportunities for the Blazers. Their conversion wasn’t great, but it was enough for the win and is a great sign heading into Game 3 at home.
The Blazers have a talented wing core with the likes of Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Jerami Grant, with all three players using their length and size to disrupt San Antonio’s shooting rhythm. After letting the Spurs shoot 45.5% from three in Game 1, the Blazers held San Antonio to 7-24 (29.2 3P%) from three in Game 2. Without Wembanyama’s gravity in the paint, always forcing help defenders from the Blazers, the Spurs can’t generate the same high-quality three-point looks they got in Game 1.
The center duo of Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III looked a lot livelier in Wembanyama’s absence, combining for 19 rebounds and four blocks. Both players are capable of outmuscling Luke Kornet without worrying about their poor perimeter defense being a threat, because Kornet can’t attack that weakness like Wembanyama could. If the Spurs don’t have a plan for the interior without their mercurial center, they likely won’t have a winning outcome.
Why The Spurs Have The Advantage
The Spurs have proven over the season that there’s more to their winning formula than Wembanyama’s presence. The franchise went 12-6 without Wembanyama this season, proving that there’s a strong foundation to work off. However, it cannot be overstated that Wembanyama himself is the team’s biggest advantage if he plays. His defensive ability is unparalleled, as his mere presence deters attempts at the rim, forcing teams to beat the Spurs by relying on their shooting. In addition, he’s an offensive unicorn that can make the Blazers center rotation unplayable through perimeter plays. He is their biggest advantage if he can be cleared in time for tip-off.
The Spurs won the rebounding battle 45-43 despite being without Wembanyama for most of the game, which is a credit to the team-wide effort they put forth to minimize Wembanyama’s absence. San Antonio shot exactly 50% from two-point range (31-62 FG), proving that they can create reliable offensive opportunities. If they didn’t shoot as poorly as they did from outside, they likely would’ve held onto this win and afforded to be without Wembanyama for Game 3 with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
San Antonio’s guard core might have struggled to score efficiently, but the on-ball ability of Fox and Castle makes them constant threats. Fox, in particular, can be a reliable No. 1 option in Wembanyama’s absence and likely is the best overall guard in this series. Even if he can’t be an effective scorer, he can be an effective playmaker and defender, with the Spurs needing him on the court. Castle has more defensive utility, but is a triple-double threat with his ability to rebound and make plays.
Fox and Castle, with Dylan Harper off the bench, are dynamic and have proven they can break the Blazers’ defense down. Wings like Vassell and Julian Champagnie might not match up in pure production with Avdija and Camara, but they’re pure hustle players, with Vassell being a crucial three-point threat while Champagnie is one of the most effective non-centers on the glass in the NBA. Putting all these players together already creates a 50-win team, and they proved last game that this core can beat the best version of the Blazers.
X-Factors
Donovan Clingan’s chances of dominating this series looked slim after Game 1 when Wembanyama effortlessly shut the second-year player down. He didn’t shine in Game 2 either, ending the night as a -14 and losing minutes to Robert Williams III by the end. He’s averaged 6.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on 31.6% shooting through the first two games, and if Wembanyama misses Game 3, this is where Clingan needs to make a difference.
Jerami Grant looked terrible in Game 2, ending the night with 1-8 shooting and two points. He is one of the Blazers’ most impactful players off the bench, so if he can even have an average offensive night, the Blazers are better-placed for victory. Grant’s played some of the best defense we’ve seen from him over the last two games, but he needs to tie the offense together in Game 3 and be a real two-way impact player for the Blazers to win.
Keldon Johnson might have won Sixth Man of the Year for his performances in the regular season, but he needs to step up in the postseason. Johnson has averaged 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds through the first two games, having a negligible impact on the court. Johnson needs to find ways to make a tangible difference offensively to earn more minutes and make a winning difference. Especially without Wembanyama, the Spurs need Johnson’s production more than ever.
Luke Kornet will play a key role in this game if Wembanyama is ruled out. He led the Spurs with a game-high +14 in a loss in Game 2, showing that he can have a positive impact on the floor. He is averaging 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in the series. He’s the only center the Spurs can throw out who can have a hope of limiting Clingan and Williams III, so his performance might decide which way Game 3 falls.
Prediction
The Spurs will face a hostile road crowd, but this might be the test this young squad needs without Wembanyama to prove their worth to everyone else in the NBA. The Spurs have plenty of weapons they can exploit in this game, regardless of Wembanyama’s appearance, provided they can minimize the mistakes that allowed them to let Game 2 slip in the fourth quarter. If Wembanyama plays, we predict the score difference might be bigger, but the result will be the same.
Prediction: Spurs 109, Trail Blazers 101
