That sound you hear is all of Blazer nation finally exhaling. Facing a Spurs team that was missing Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Antonio McDyess, the Blazers were a prohibitive favorite. An uninspired first half was followed by an abysmal third quarter, with the away squad outscored 21-9. Portland headed into the fourth quarter facing a deficit.
After a Gary Neal three stretched the San Antonio advantage to 8 at the 9:18 mark, the Spurs didn't score another field goal until the 1:44 mark. A Nicolas Batum triple pulled Portland within 2, and, a few possessions later, Gerald Wallace stretched the lead to 6 with a three-pointer of his own.
Here's the box score. Believe it or not, Portland has now won eight of its last nine games against San Antonio.
Discuss the much-needed win here. Remember the usual rules, and stay tuned for Dave's recap later.