Spurs at Blazers
The San Antonio Spurs have shown they can win without Tim Duncan and they might be without him again when they visit Portland on Saturday in the Trail Blazers’ home opener. Duncan sat out the Spurs’ 91-85 victory over the Lakers on Friday after suffering a bruised chest in the season opener, and the team wasn’t sure when he would return. “When they tell me he’s ready to play, then he’ll play,” coach Gregg Popovich said before the start of the team's three-game road trip.
After the way Portland played in an eye-opening 113-98 victory at Denver on Friday, San Antonio can use all the help it can get. The Blazers dominated in one of the league’s toughest venues — the Nuggets lost three home games all of last season — and head home brimming with confidence. Portland has won its last four home openers and carries a two-game winning streak against San Antonio.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), KGW (Portland)
ABOUT THE SPURS (2-0): Duncan’s longtime teammates Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili picked up the slack in the 14-time All-Star’s absence, combining for 44 points on 19-of-32 shooting at Los Angeles. Forwards Kawhi Leonard and Boris Diaw have each scored at least 14 points in both games, giving San Antonio scoring threats inside and outside. The Spurs have held their first two opponents to a combined 39.4 percent from the floor.
ABOUT THE BLAZERS (1-1): The main difference in Portland’s season-opening loss at Phoenix and its victory at Denver was the supporting cast. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 60 points in defeat as the rest of the team went 11-for-39 from the field. In the win, the two collectively tallied 43 points, but that was nearly matched by Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews — who combined for 42 points on 15-of-27 shooting.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Blazers scored a season-high 136 points in a 30-point over the Spurs last season.
2. The Spurs are 14-8 over the past three seasons without Duncan.
3. Portland is shooting 45.8 percent from 3-point range.