Wembanyama Dominates in Return, Spurs Rally to Take 3-1 Lead Over Trail Blazers

Victor Wembanyama returned from the NBA’s concussion protocol on Sunday and immediately looked like the series’ most decisive force, pairing 27 points with a dominant defensive performance to help the San Antonio Spurs rally past the Portland Trail Blazers 114-93 for a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round matchup.

The Spurs, the West’s No. 2 seed, won Game 4 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, after falling behind by as many as 19 points in the first half. The game was tied 74-74 entering the fourth quarter before San Antonio pulled away, turning a deep early deficit into a 21-point win. Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday in San Antonio, where the Spurs can close out the best-of-seven series.

Wembanyama’s box-score line underscored how thoroughly he changed the game at both ends. In 34 minutes, he finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 7 blocks while shooting 9-for-17 from the field, 1-for-4 from 3-point range and 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. StatMuse flagged the outing as part of a short list of playoff games with at least four steals and four blocks, a reminder that this was something more than a standard star turn. It also came less than a week after Wembanyama was named the NBA’s 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year.

That context mattered because his availability was uncertain until shortly before tipoff. Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion after a fall in Game 2 on April 21 and missed Game 3 while in the league’s concussion protocol. The Spurs announced about an hour before Sunday’s game that he had been cleared to play, according to ESPN and The Associated Press. Wembanyama said the way his return to play was handled was “very disappointing.”

Once he was back on the floor, San Antonio regained the defensive reach and interior control it had missed. De’Aaron Fox added 28 points for the Spurs, giving San Antonio a second scorer who could keep pressure on Portland as the game turned. For the Trail Blazers, Deni Avdija scored 26 points.

But the story of the night was the scale of Wembanyama’s imprint. His scoring kept San Antonio afloat, and his length around the rim and activity in passing lanes changed the texture of the game as the Spurs erased the early hole. Seven blocks and four steals in a playoff setting is rare; doing it in a return game after a concussion absence made it stand out even more.

Wembanyama framed the Spurs’ edge in broader terms after the win.

“We thrive when we do the invisible efforts that benefit others,” he said. “There’s no jealousy. There’s nobody who cares about their stat line. So it’s our greatest strength.”

San Antonio now heads home one win from the second round, with its biggest difference-maker back on the floor.