Trail Blazers Wilt Away in Fourth Quarter to Lose to Spurs, 118-116

After an uninspired first half, the Portland Trail Blazers pounced on the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter Friday night to gain control of the game heading into the final period. The Blazers used that good third-quarter juju to lead by as many as 17 in the fourth.

Then the Blazers collapsed as the Spurs fought back to win it at the wire, 118-116, with two free throws from Victor Wembanyama in the final seconds.

Blazer of the Game: Jerami Grant. The Blazers struggled to find shotmaking in the first half, and then Grant caught fire for 22 third-quarter points and six 3s to bring the offense new life. It was part of a 12-19 performance from the field for 32 points that included an 8-10 mark from behind the 3-point line. Plus, with multiple Portland centers out and Donovan Clingan on a minutes restriction, Grant admirably took on the primary defensive assignment of Wembanyama and made the alien-like center work for his buckets.

Stat of the Night: 2. This stat represents the number of technicals Spurs guard Chris Paul got in an 11-second span, ending his night at the 1:03 mark of the first quarter. Paul was barking at the officials about a foul call he wanted, and apparently he went too far with his words. The vet was having a nice game before he left, producing five points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal in 11 minutes.

What We’ll Remember: Grant catching fire in the third. Grant was having an unremarkable game through two quarters, but that third-quarter firestorm flipped a 10-point deficit into an eight-point lead in 12 minutes. He hit six 3s in the quarter after the Blazers made just five in the first half. The shotmaking turned up the crowd and seemed to spread to his teammates, helping the Blazers develop a healthy double-digit cushion. Perhaps, the only thing more memorable than Grant’s third-quarter outburst was the Blazers’ fourth-quarter collapse that gave it way.

Box Score

What’s Next: A quick trip to the Desert. The Blazers take a one-game road trip to see the Phoenix Suns Sunday, then have three more days of rest before facing the Denver Nuggets at home on Thursday.