The Blazers got off to the good start they needed. They got the shots to fall. They even got a few starts. There was the urgency a team down 3-0 in a series needed to have as Portland won 103-92 to extend the series one more game and back to San Antonio.
Damian Lillard scored 25 points and took over the game early on to set the tone for Portland. He had plenty of help with the Blazers bench awakening from its -100 in three games slumber. Will Barton scored 17 points off the bench to keep Portland pace. San Antonio did not have its usual second quarter runaway this time.
The Trail Blazers shot 43.9 percent from the floor but were up around 60 percent in the first quarter. They held the Spurs to just eight fast break points.
San Antonio just was not quite itself.
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 14 points and had only one assist. That is not going to cut it.
This was Portland’s night. They get to play on.
