The San Antonio Spurs triumphed over the Portland Trail Blazers with a 114-95 victory, marking their first playoff series win since 2017. Victor Wembanyama, recognized as the NBA's defensive player of the year, was instrumental in the win, contributing 17 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks. His defensive prowess was highlighted by Portland coach Tiago Splitter, who noted the difficulty of countering Wembanyama's ability to contest shots both at the three-point line and at the rim. De’Aaron Fox led the Spurs in scoring with 21 points, while Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper added 19 and 17 points, respectively. The Spurs took control early, leading by as much as 28 points. With this victory, they advance to face the winner of the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves series, currently led by the Timberwolves 3-2. In other playoff action, the Philadelphia 76ers avoided elimination against the Boston Celtics, winning 113-97, while the New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 126-97, with Jalen Brunson scoring 39 points.