'Overwhelming Height' of 218cm Seems Small... 'Elite Newcomer' Wembanyama Writes Playoff History

*This content was translated by AI.

A miraculous performance by a rookie standing 224cm tall. Victor Wembanyama (22) set a historic record on his first-ever playoff stage, surpassing the legendary Tim Duncan.

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 111-98 in the first game of the 2026 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Round 1 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on the 20th (Korean time). With this result, San Antonio took a 1-0 lead in the series.

The undisputed protagonist was Wembanyama. Leveraging his exceptional physical attributes, Wembanyama delivered a stellar performance in his playoff debut, recording 35 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.

He was simply unstoppable. Wembanyama, standing 224cm tall, showcased miraculous shooting accuracy, hitting 5 of 6 three-pointers against Portland. Donovan Clingan (Portland), a 218cm center, tried to guard Wembanyama, but he was no match for Wembanyama's overwhelming height.

Wembanyama's 35 points set a new franchise record for most points scored in a playoff debut. The previous record was 32 points, set by the legendary Tim Duncan in 1998. Additionally, Wembanyama, who scored 21 points in the first half alone, broke the record for most points in the first half of a playoff debut since play-by-play statistics began in 1997.

According to the U.S. media outlet 'ESPN', after the game, Wembanyama calmly stated, "I'm happy to have played well in my first game. I tried to maintain what I've been doing all season. There was pressure for the first win, but since I approached the game as planned, there were no major issues."

San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson praised Wembanyama, saying, "Wembanyama has very high goals for himself. His playoff performance is central to those goals." He added, "It was a great for Wembanyama to gain experience by securing a win in his first game."

The game was dominated by San Antonio from the start. After taking momentum with a step-back three-pointer by De'Andre Hunter in the middle of the first quarter, San Antonio built a 30-21 lead. In the second quarter, they extended the gap to 50-34 with alley-oop dunks by Stephon Castle and Luke Kornet. Although Portland attempted a comeback with a three-pointer by Deni Avdija, Wembanyama scored consecutive layups and three-pointers, ending the first half with a 59-49 lead.

In the third quarter, Portland mounted a counterattack with eight consecutive points but was hampered by turnovers. San Antonio, having weathered the crisis, extended their lead to 87-72 with support from Hunter and Castle, solidifying their advantage. In the early fourth quarter, San Antonio scored six consecutive points, widening the gap to 21 points. They calmly repelled Portland's late surge to secure a 13-point victory at home.

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*This content was translated by AI.