NBA Basketball

2026-04-24 - San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers

A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown

San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers
United States : NBA Basketball Playoffs First Round Game 3
Friday 24th April 2026 - Scheduled 10:30pm EST
3:30am (British Time)

Preview

Any Series or Playoff picture can be changed by significant injury and there is little doubt that this First Round Series and the entire Western Conference outlook could have changed by a big one in Game 2.

Victor Wembanyama was looking to back up his debut in the post-season by leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 2-0 lead over the Portland Trail Blazers, but he took a pretty hard fall in the Second Quarter and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. His team were only narrowly beaten on the night, but the bigger story is that Wembanyama has been placed in concussion protocol having banged his head and that almost certainly means missing Game 3 and potentially Game 4.

With the First Round Series tied at 1-1, the San Antonio Spurs will be desperate to find a way to at least bring this one back home level, although doing so without one of the best players in the NBA is going to be hugely challenging.

About the only positive they can take is that they are facing a Portland Trail Blazers team that is scrappy and gritty and not one that is going to take over a Series by crushing opponents by big margins. However, the Trail Blazers have shown they are going to be competitive and dig in when needed and that will give them confidence as they bid to upset the odds and move through to the Second Round of the Western Conference Playoffs.

Portland's Offensive numbers across the first two games are very similar and they are not likely to change the approach significantly. The key in Game 2 was getting more out of players not called Deni Avdija and that helped them move the ball around and try and keep the San Antonio Spurs a little out of balance.

There is still a very good San Antonio Defensive scheme on the court, even without Victor Wembanyama, as they showed in Game 2, and this is a well Coached team that will make the adjustments without their superstar on the court. Finding enough scoring will be a test, but San Antonio have won games without Wembanyama in his time in the NBA and they cannot be dismissed to do the same here in Portland.

During the regular season, San Antonio finished 12-6 in games without Victor Wembanyama and that includes beating the Trail Blazers, although they did lose a road game in his absence.

Backing the under for a third time in the Series is a potential route into Game 3 having won both previous efforts, but it feels like there is something in backing the Spurs to find a way to regain home court advantage.

It will be a big test on the road, but there is going to be a different expectation around this young Portland team with the fans feeling an opportunity to take the lead in the Series. That can build a pressure around a team and that is where a well Coached San Antonio team may be able to make one or two adjustments to get the better of the host.

Much like the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs are looking to recover from a narrow defeat and teams in that spot are 40-22-2 against the spread in that spot and 24-10-2 against the spread when set as a narrow favourite/underdog.

Hosts in Game 3 have struggled when set below a 4.5 line as a favourite, while teams playing at home after a win have also had a tough time covering.

This is also a Number 2 Seed for a reason and the San Antonio Spurs will note those teams are 22-6 against the spread in a First Round Series after a defeat and can just remind everyone that they are more than Victor Wembanyama.