SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs (21-59) hosted the Portland Trail Blazers in the first NBA game ever in the city of Austin, and secured a thrilling win in front of a sold-out crowd.
Keita Bates-Diop, Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie and Zach Collins all scored over 20 points, and the Spurs erased a 9-point deficit in the fourth quarter to come all the way back and win 129-127.
Gregg Popovich said before the game that Keldon Johnson had been sick all night Wednesday, but Johnson suited up and scored the first basket of the game. Popovich lauded former Spur Drew Eubanks as a competitor before the game, and Chauncey Billups spoke about the big man's improvement as a rim protector. In the first two minutes and change he finished a layup, hit a three, and stuffed two shots inside. Portland got out to a 9-3 lead.
Collins chased his own miss from three, took a power dribble inside and crammed it home. Johnson found him underneath for a layup, then Collins blocked a shot on the other end, then he dimed Keita Bates-Diop for a cutting layup.
Johnson got free throws, then Collins bounced it to him perfectly on a backdoor cut for an and-1.
Portland built a 27-20 lead, but Julian Champagnie drilled a pair of threes and assisted Dominick Barlow on a layup to put San Antonio back in front. The Blazers answered with their own run, and held a 37-32 advantage after a quarter.
Malaki Branham punched home a big dunk off a feed from KBD, who got busy for free throws and a layup, then Romeo Langford hit and Barlow finished an and-1.
Champagnie lucked into a steal and threw it ahead to KBD, who jumped in the lane and dropped it off to Wesley for a score. Champagnie hit another three, then another.
Sandro Mamukelashvili chased an offensive board and flipped it to Champagnie for three more. The next possession ended in a layup for who else but Julian Champagnie.
Zach Collins scored 7 points in the last 96 seconds of the half to give San Antonio a 69-61 lead at the break.
Collins picked up where he left off, drilling a three and then a dunk off a feed from Keldon. Johnson followed it up with a triple of his own. Collins scored inside once more. Tre Jones tipped in a miss, then went inside for an and-1.
Champagnie came in and immediately got an and-1, then tipped in a miss. Portland led 100-98 heading to the fourth.
Keldon Johnson scored all four baskets for San Antonio to start the fourth, all in the paint, and Portland called time up 110-108.
Mamu posted up and spun in for a hook shot to tie it. The Blazers responded with a 9-0 run before Collins dunked off a miss. KBD hit free throws, then Tre Jones stepped back and drilled a three with time winding down. After forcing another miss, Jones dropped it off to KBD for three and the lead, and the capacity crowd went crazy. The next trip Jones drove baseline and kicked it out to KBD again, and again he drilled a deep one, and again the crowd popped.
The scoring slowed down in the last few minutes, and Portland pulled to within two. Jones got stymied at the rim, then hustled down the floor to poke it away from Eubanks. Portland kept it, but Collins drew an offensive foul.
KBD scored, and Portland answered. Keldon drove baseline, and with 10 seconds left he reversed one in off the glass to make it a four-point game, screaming into a crowd that was doing the same.
Portland got free throws, but missed the second and KBD got the board. San Antonio won 129-127 and sent the fans home happy.
GAME REWIND
The Spurs are coming off a 115-94 road loss versus the Suns.
Malaki Branham had 21 points and three rebounds while Tre Jones added 20 points and three rebounds. Julian Champagnie finished with 10 points and six rebounds while Keita Bates-Diop had 13 points, eight rebounds, and two assists in the loss.
Branham also recorded his sixth consecutive 10-plus point night of the season, matching his season-long streak.
San Antonio was without Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Romeo Langford, Zach Collins, and Keldon Johnson due to injuries. Doug McDermott exited the game in the first half with an ankle injury. Dominick Barlow and Devonte Graham also exited the game with injuries.
“Just trying to be competitive. Play our hardest and try to do all of the little things. Try to do things the right way and let the rest take care of itself. Obviously, they [Suns] are super talented," Tre Jones said. "After that first quarter, we played them pretty much even the rest of the way. They came out hot and we came out slow. We were able to get on a few runs there. Got it close but just didn’t have enough.”
SPURS TAKE OVER AUSTIN
The Spurs will play a pair of games in the state capitol. Here's what Collins and Jones had to say about the team playing in Austin.
INJURY REPORT
THE UNIFORMS
The Spurs will be in their Icon Edition jerseys today.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
1. The Blazers have been out-rebounded by their opponent in 10 straight games.
2. The Blazers are 10-6 on the road when leading at halftime.
3. The Spurs are 4-20 when hosting Western teams this season.
4. Spurs' Tre Jones has scored in double-figures in eight consecutive games.
5. The Suns are 11-21 versus teams with a below .500 record.
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