Scoot Henderson Dropped 31, the Blazers Came Back From 14 Down, and Now the Spurs Series Is Tied
Portland went into San Antonio as underdogs. Got smoked by 13 in Game 1. Then in Game 2, they were down 14 points in the fourth quarter. Everything was lining up for a 2-0 hole heading home.
Somebody forgot to tell Scoot Henderson.
The Blazers guard finished with 31 points on 11-for-15 shooting, including 5-for-9 from three, and Portland stole Game 2 106-103 to tie the series. Series heads to Portland Friday with home-court swung completely.
Yes, Wemby went out with a concussion and that matters. But you still gotta go beat a good Spurs team on their floor, and that’s what the Blazers did. They held San Antonio scoreless for the last 3:37 of the fourth quarter. Three and a half minutes of playoff basketball without giving up a bucket. That’s lockdown defense when it counts.
Scoot finally having his moment
Scoot Henderson was the third overall pick in 2023 and his career has been up and down. Rough rookie year, better sophomore year, and now in year three he’s starting to look like the guy the Blazers drafted him to be. Tuesday was the biggest game of his life. He didn’t shrink. He dropped 13 in the first quarter to set the tone, added 6 more in the second, and then came back with 5 in the fourth when his team needed him most.
On the floor most of the fourth quarter. Made the 3-pointer that cut the lead to one with 2:43 left. Played great defense on De’Aaron Fox down the stretch. That’s the kind of game that changes how people see you.
The role guys came up huge
Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 9 assists, and we already talked about his night. Deni Avdija added 14 points, the big alley-oop assist to Robert Williams that put them ahead late, and some clutch free throws down the stretch. Robert Williams had 11 points and the dunk that basically won the game. Donovan Clingan came out of nowhere with a 3-pointer late that was huge.
This is a playoff team with playoff guys. Tiago Splitter, in his first year as head coach after Chauncey Billups got fired, has this group playing free and confident. Avdija straight up said after the game that Splitter has done a “phenomenal” job. You don’t make the playoffs as a 7-seed and then win a road playoff game without good coaching.
What this means for the series
Game 3 Friday in Portland. Probably no Wemby. Probably no Damian Lillard on the Blazers side either — he’s been out with an Achilles thing all series. Both teams are missing big pieces. Whoever figures it out first takes control.
San Antonio blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead. That’s going to sting all week. Coach Mitch Johnson is going to have a long film session Wednesday. They have to figure out how to close games without Wemby anchoring everything defensively. Not easy but not impossible.
Portland just needs to keep playing the way they played in the fourth quarter of Game 2. Defense, ball movement, let Scoot cook, get timely buckets from the vets. Simple formula.
Fun fact to end on
The last time Portland won a road playoff game was 2019 when Dame and CJ McCollum beat the Nuggets in that double-overtime classic. This franchise has been in the wilderness for a long time. Making the playoffs as a 7-seed this year already felt like a win for Blazers fans. Winning a road playoff game is a whole extra level of gravy.
Scoot’s arrival feels real. This team feels real. Friday night in Portland is going to be a party.
