Wembanyama absent, les Spurs s’inclinent 110-115 face aux Trail Blazers

Without their franchise cornerstone Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs fell to the Portland Trail Blazers 110-115 on January 3, 2026, at the Frost Bank Center in a regular season contest that exposed the team’s depth limits without their superstar. The absence of the French phenom proved decisive against a Portland side firing on all cylinders.

A Blazers Squad That Never Let San Antonio Breathe

San Antonio showed early resilience, leaning on their collective to compensate for the void left by their No. 1 overall pick from the 2023 Draft. Luke Kornet provided an unexpected lift off the bench, while Julian Champagnie and De’Aaron Fox shouldered much of the offensive load. Yet Portland’s trio refused to allow the Spurs any sustained momentum, controlling tempo throughout the first half and building a lead that proved difficult to erase.

The third quarter told the decisive story. Deni Avdija, orchestrating Portland’s offense with remarkable efficiency, consistently found gaps in San Antonio’s defensive rotations. Donovan Clingan dominated inside, converting at a high rate and cleaning up on the glass, while Toumani Camara’s perimeter shooting stretched the Spurs’ defense to its breaking point. By the end of the third, Portland’s advantage had grown to a double-digit margin.

San Antonio mounted a fourth-quarter push, with Stephon Castle distributing with poise — 9 assists on the night — and Fox providing bursts of energy on both ends of the floor. However, the deficit proved too steep, and Portland closed out the game to secure the 115-110 road victory.

Avdija Puts on a Clinic, Clingan Controls the Paint

The standout performance of the night belonged to Deni Avdija, who delivered an authoritative triple-double: 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in 39 minutes. Shooting 9-of-23 from the field but drawing fouls at will — going 8-of-11 from the line — the Israeli forward was the engine of Portland’s entire offensive operation. Alongside him, Donovan Clingan was nearly unstoppable in the paint, registering 24 points and 12 rebounds on a dominant 9-of-12 shooting performance. Toumani Camara rounded out Portland’s three-headed attack with 20 points and a sharp 5-of-9 mark from beyond the arc.

What to Take Away From This Spurs Setback

A Supporting Cast That Fought Without Wembanyama

In the absence of the pivot des Spurs, the supporting cast stepped up with notable individual performances:

• Luke Kornet: 23 pts, 8 reb, 5 blk — 10/12 FG, a dominant efficiency display
• Julian Champagnie: 20 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast — a double-double effort
• De’Aaron Fox: 19 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl — active on both ends
• Stephon Castle: 16 pts, 9 ast — showed maturity running the offense
• Harrison Barnes: 14 pts, steady veteran presence

Kornet’s 5 blocks were particularly eye-catching, temporarily filling the shot-altering role typically owned by Victor Wembanyama. Still, San Antonio’s inability to match Portland’s frontcourt production underscored just how irreplaceable the French phenom truly is.

A Team Vulnerable Without Its Centerpiece

This loss highlights a structural challenge: when Wembanyama is off the floor, San Antonio’s defensive anchor disappears and its offensive gravity diminishes significantly. Portland exploited that absence with surgical precision, particularly through Clingan’s dominance in the paint — a matchup that the 7-foot-4 superstar would normally neutralize. Fox’s -12 plus/minus also raises questions about lineup cohesion in these situations.

Looking Ahead: Wembanyama’s Return Cannot Come Soon Enough

With this defeat, San Antonio drops a winnable home game in the regular season standings race. The Spurs will need the No. 1 pick from the 2023 Draft back on the floor as soon as possible if they hope to maintain their positioning. The next fixture will be a critical opportunity to bounce back, and all eyes will be on whether the Alien of basketball makes his return to the hardwood and reasserts San Antonio’s identity as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.