San Antonio closed out Portland 114-95 on Tuesday night in Game 5, punching their ticket to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017. The margin was decisive. The Spurs never looked in serious danger of letting the series extend.
De'Aaron Fox, acquired in a blockbuster trade ahead of the season, has been central to San Antonio's playoff run. His ability to attack downhill and create offense at every level of the floor gave the Blazers no clean answers across the series.
The Spurs finished the first round with authority, winning Game 5 by 19 points in what amounted to a relatively comfortable close-out performance. Portland, which entered the postseason as a lower seed, had no answer for San Antonio's pace and depth in the deciding game.
For San Antonio, reaching the second round marks a meaningful milestone in what has been a rapid rebuild. The franchise spent several years in the lottery following the retirement of their core championship-era players, and Fox's arrival was a signal the organization was ready to compete again. Tuesday confirmed they are.
The Western Conference semifinals opponent and schedule will be determined as other first-round series conclude. San Antonio now waits to see who they will face next.
