The San Antonio Spurs have built a team that thrives on synergy and balance.
They hope to lean on those traits and more when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night in the second game of a back-to-back set for both teams.
The Spurs head home after a 123-113 win over the woeful Indiana Pacers on Friday.
The victory was San Antonio’s second straight and was accomplished without star center Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell. Wembanyama sustained a hyperextended left knee in the Spurs’ home loss to New York on Wednesday, while Vassell missed his second game in a row game with a left adductor strain.
De’Aaron Fox had 24 points, Dylan Harper added 22 and Stephon Castle collected 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Spurs.
A huge part of San Antonio’s success this season has been its ability to receive contributions across the board. When the Spurs reeled off eight straight wins through the middle of December, a different player led San Antonio in scoring in the first seven of those victories.
“You aren’t going to play well every game,” Fox said about San Antonio’s next-man-up mentality. “Even in a week, you’re probably going to play bad once. When you go through those slumps, you have to be professional. You still show up. You still work on your craft, and when your number is called, you still have to try to produce.”
The Spurs received a combined 19 points in Friday’s win from end-of-the-bench players Kelly Olynyk, Lindy Waters III and Carter Bryant.
Portland visits San Antonio after posting a 122-109 victory over New Orleans on Friday. Deni Avdija paced the Trail Blazers with 34 points — 23 in the first half — and 11 assists. Shaedon Sharpe hit for 23 points, Caleb Love had 22, Toumani Camara scored 14 and Donovan Clingan racked up 11 points and 15 rebounds.
The Trail Blazers led by 10 points after three quarters before blowing open the game in the fourth and winning for the third time in their past four games.
Interim coach Tiago Splitter even found a silver lining in Portland’s loss to reigning league champion Oklahoma City on New Year’s Eve that proceeded Friday’s victory in the Big Easy.
“I’m just happy that they’re stepping up every game,” Splitter said. “Shaedon is getting better every night. Deni is getting better at point guard every night. (Clingan) protecting the rim. Guys are having more confidence out there. Toumani shooting the ball. So it’s good to see them developing and getting better.”
Saturday’s contest will be the second of three games between the Spurs and Trail Blazers this season. San Antonio won 115-102 in the first meeting, in Portland, on Nov. 26.
