The 2026 NBA Playoffs begin with the Spurs facing the Blazers in Game 1, marking the Spurs' first playoff appearance in seven years. San Antonio, led by Victor Wembanyama, has a strong record against Portland, who returns to the playoffs after a two-year absence.
Key points
Spurs host Blazers in 2026 NBA Playoffs Game 1
Spurs have a 62-20 record, Blazers at 42-40
Victor Wembanyama leads Spurs; Deni Avdija leads Blazers
First playoff meeting since 2014 between the teams
Spurs won regular season series 2-1
San Antonio SpursPortland Trail BlazersVictor WembanyamaDeni Avdija
The 2026 NBA Playoffs open in San Antonio with a fascinating contrast in styles as the No. 2 seed Spurs host the No. 7 seed Portland Trail Blazers on NBC and Peacock. The matchup marks the postseason return of playoff basketball to Texas for the first time in seven years. The Spurs (62-20) have been one of the league's dominant forces since February, led by the incredible all-around play of third-year superstar Victor Wembanyama, who averaged 25 points and 3.1 blocks this season. Its been a beat as well for Portland (42-40) since they have seen the postseason. This is the Blazers’ first playoff appearance and in fact, first winning season since the 2020-21 campaign. The Trail Blazers secured the seventh seed with a 114-110 win at Phoenix in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. Led by Deni Avdija (24.2 ppg and 6.7 apg) Portland is looking to become just the 4th team to win a playoff series after advancing through the Play-In Tournament since it was adopted in its current format in 2021.
San Antonio won the regular season series, 2-1, including a 112-101 home win on April 8. Wembanyama did not play in any of the Spurs’ 3 games against Portland. It is the only team he did not face this season.
This matchup also pits former high-profile college teammates against each other as UConn Huskies’ Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle get set to battle. Each are major factors on the Blazers and Spurs respectively. Clingan finished the regular season as the NBA’s leading offensive rebounder (4.5 OREB/gm) and 3rd in the NBA in overall rebounding (11.6 rpg). He also led the NBA in total rebounds (892) and total offensive rebounds (a franchise-record 347). Castle followed up his 2024-25 Rookie of the Year campaign with improvements across the board in points and rebounds as well as a team-leading 7.4 assists per game.
This series may well come down to which team controls the boards. Behind Clingan’s NBA-leading 4.5 offensive rebounds per game, the Trail Blazers were second in the NBA in offensive rebounding (14.1 OREB/gm) and led the NBA in second chance points (18.4 per game) during the regular season. Conversely, thanks in large part to Wembanyama’s 9.5 defensive rebounds per game (second in the NBA, behind only 9.9/gm), the Spurs led the NBA in defensive rebounds per game (35.6) and allowed the 4th-fewest 2nd chance points in the NBA (13.7 per gm). The breakdown of this matchup may well be that simple.
Q&A
What are the playoff odds for the Spurs vs. Blazers Game 1?
The Spurs are favored in Game 1, reflecting their strong regular season performance and home-court advantage.
When was the last time the Spurs made the playoffs?
The Spurs last made the playoffs in 2019, making this their first postseason appearance in seven years.
Who are the key players to watch in the Spurs vs. Blazers matchup?
Key players include Victor Wembanyama for the Spurs and Deni Avdija for the Blazers, both of whom have had standout seasons.
How did the Blazers secure their playoff spot?
The Blazers secured their playoff spot by winning the Play-In Tournament against the Phoenix Suns with a score of 114-110.
Related Articles
Soccer·Recap
Controversial late penalty moves Ipswich second after Boro draw
Ipswich draws 2-2 with Middlesbrough thanks to a controversial late penalty.
Sky Sports··1 min read
Sports
NBA draft process dates for Nate Ament
Key NBA draft dates and Nate Ament's projection
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Soccer·Transfer
Barcelona make significant move towards signing Brazilian forward
Barcelona is in talks to sign Brazilian forward Eduardo Conceicao from Palmeiras.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Soccer·Preview
Official Juventus squad vs Bologna: Yildiz included, five injured
Juventus announces squad for Bologna match with Yildiz included, but five players are injured.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Soccer·Recap
“Things were good…” – Caicedo points to positives in Chelsea defeat
This will be the fifth playoff meeting between San Antonio and Portland but the first since 2014. The Spurs have won the most recent three series.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy ofDraftKingsrecent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. TheNBA on NBC YouTube channeldelivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: Trail Blazers vs. Spurs
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026
Time: 9PM EST
Site: Frost Bank Center
City: San Antonio, TX
Network/Streaming: NBC/Peacock
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latestNBA Player Newsfor all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Trail Blazers vs. Spurs
The latest odds as of Sunday courtesy ofDraftKings:
Moneyline: Portland Trail Blazers (+400), San Antonio Spurs (-535)
Spread: Spurs -10.5
Total: 221.5 points
This game opened Spurs -10.5 with the Game Total set at 222.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Trail Blazers vs. Spurs
Important stats, trends and insights: Trail Blazers vs. Spurs
The Spurs are 32-8 at home this season
The Blazers are 19-23 on the road this season
The Spurs are 45-36-2 ATS this season
Portland is 45-38 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 43 of the Trail Blazers’ 83 games this season (43-40)
The OVER has cashed in 36 of the Spurs’ 83 games this season (36-47)
Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points with 10 blocks the last time he faced Portland (December 2024)
Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter spent 5 of his 7 NBA seasons as a player with San Antonio (2010-15) and was a member of the Spurs’ most recent NBA title-winning team in 2014
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Sunday’s Trail Blazers and Spurs’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Blazers +10.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is Recommending a play on the Game Total UNDER 221.5
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out ourNBA Top Trends toolon NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
