Game Thread 2026 NBA PLAYOFFS RND 1 - GAME #1 - BLAZERS @ SPURS - APRIL 19, 2026 - SUNDAY - 6:00 PM - NBC - PEACOCK

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Is the density important? Isn't the number of eyes the biggest factor?

Correct. It's the # of households that determines the market size.

Nielsen DMA Rankings 2025

ustvdb.com

 

[wizenheimer]

I just think OKC's strategy is (was?) more reliably duplicated than Denver's path of getting lucky enough to draft Jokic late.

sure....but I wasn't speaking to that. I was talking about a potential 2nd round matchup between Spurs and Nuggest

 

[Phatguysrule]

sure....but I wasn't speaking to that. I was talking about a potential 2nd round matchup between Spurs and Nuggest

Yes, but my response was in reply to somebody who seemed to be suggesting that it's not possible to build a team that can compete without a dominant giant like that.

I think we have had that opportunity over the last 5 years...

 

[kjironman1]

yes, if the Blazers had just shot their season percentage from 3, they would have scored 9 more points and it would have been a different game. But you shouldn't just stop on one good outcome if you're changing reality. If the Blazers had converted their normal rate of three's but also had their normal rate of turnovers, they would have had 7 more turnovers and that would have very likely erased that +9 from three. Of course, they could have erased that turnover erasure if they would have played Clingan his normal minutes and NOT parked him out at the 3 point line and he would have grabbed 3-4 more offensive rebounds like he normally does

but that's the thing about imagining a different game. A different game does not guarantee a better outcome

what the Spurs have is a large platoon of quick wings & guards

Keldon Johnson	6-6
Julian Champagnie	6-7
Harrison Barnes	6-7
De'Aaron Fox	6-3
Carter Bryant	6-6
Dylan Harper	6-5
Stephon Castle	6-6
Devin Vassell	6-5

these guys are all quick enough with defensive rotations I have to question if Portland can find enough open looks from 3 to consistently hit their season mark. The Spurs were 3rd in the NBA in defense this season and now they are focused on the Blazers. To me it looked like a lot of Portland's three's last night were contested. It looked to me like the Spurs strategy is to play Deni straight with occasional doubles at the top of the key; count on Wemby and Kornet to protect the rim; and to focus on rotating to Portland's perimeter shooters. It worked. It's now on the Blazers to make adjustments and create a different game

Those looks from 3 were wide open. No they had a decent game plan and yes, the reason the turnovers went down was because of the type of game they played and who they had with the ball in their hands.
Totally agree the Spurs have more talent and yes they are long and fast. Beating them will be very tough.

 

[bigbailes]

Randomly ran into Cronin after the game at In-N-Out where he was by himself grabbing a burger, much like I was for the long drive home. Seemed to be in decent spirits and at least put on a smile in our 5 minute interaction while waiting for our food.

 

[julius]

Is the density important? Isn't the number of eyes the biggest factor?

Yes it is important if you're comparing "cities" and they're not the same density.

The density of Portland and the Portland metro area is bigger than San Antonios. To call it a big market is misleading was my point.
If Portland and San Antonio were the same size Portland would be bigger both as the size of Portland AND the size of San Antonio, and more importantly the metro area here has a higher population density too.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Yes it is important if you're comparing "cities" and they're not the same density.

The density of Portland and the Portland metro area is bigger than San Antonios. To call it a big market is misleading was my point.
If Portland and San Antonio were the same size Portland would be bigger both as the size of Portland AND the size of San Antonio, and more importantly the metro area here has a higher population density too.

I'm just trying to understand why that is relevant regarding incentives with the NBA.

San Antonio is a large market. In dollars.

Portland is not.

Or is there something I'm missing?

 

[wizenheimer]

looks pretty close. San Antonio a little bigger in population and geography, but not by much

 

[julius]

I'm just trying to understand why that is relevant regarding incentives with the NBA.

San Antonio is a large market. In dollars.

Portland is not.

Or is there something I'm missing?

Large market doesn't necessarily mean in the scope of dollars.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

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looks pretty close. San Antonio a little bigger in population and geography, but not by much

None of that matters. See the link to the list I posted earlier today. The Nielsen market size list is what is widely used to determine market size.
and FYI Portland's DMA includes Vancouver etc.

The Portland, OR designated market area (DMA) is a U.S. television market serving the people in the state of Oregon. It is the 23rd biggest media market by size in the United States, with a total population of 1,277,920 TV households as of the 2024-2025 television season, down -3% from that of the 2023-2024 season. The Portland, OR DMA comprises 27 counties across two states, namely, Baker, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Crook, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jefferson, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Union, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, and Yamhill, OR; and Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, and Wahkiakum, WA.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

How did this game thread turn into this?

 

[e_blazer]

I think it's fair to say that the tale of comparative three point shooting goes a long way towards explaining the Spurs' win. Here are the 3 point stats from yesterday's game for guys who averaged more than 2 attempts from three for the season:

Spurs:
Barnes - Season Average 4.6 3PA, .388; Game 1 1 3PA, .000 - Underperformed
Vassell - Season Average 6.4 3PA, .384; Game 1 9 3PA, .444 - Overperformed
Champagnie - Season Average 6.2 3PA, .381; Game 1 3 3PA, .667 - Overperformed
Johnson - Season Average 3.3 3PA, .363; Game 1 2 3PA, .500 - Overperformed
Wemby - Season Average 5.5 3PA, .349; Game 1 6 3PA, .800 - Overperformed
Harper - Season Average 2.6 3PA, .343; Game 1 2 3PA, .000 - Underperformed
Castle - Season Average 3.6 3PA, .332; Game 1 5 3PA, .200 - Underperformed

Blazers:
Grant - Season Average 6.1 3PA, .389; Game 1 3 3PA, .333 - Underperformed
Holiday - Season Average 6.8 3PA, .378; Game 1 7 3PA, .143 - Underperformed
Camara - Season Average 7.2 3PA, .370; Game 1 5 3PA, .400 Overperformed
Henderson - Season Average 5.4 3PA, .352; Game 1 4 3PA, .500 - Overperformed
Clingan - Season Average 3.2 3PA, .341; Game 1 3 3PA, .000 - Underperformed
Sharpe - Season Average 6.1 3PA, .337; Game 1 4 3PA, .000 - Underperformed
Thybulle - Season Average 4.5 3PA, .433; Game 1 3 3PA, .333 - Underperformed
Avdija - Season Average 6.0 3PA, .318; Game 1 5 3PA, .400 - Overperformed

One thing that strikes you is that the Spurs have three guys who shot more than .380 for the season (Barnes, Vassell, and Champagnie). The Blazers have one (Grant, although Holiday is just a tick under that mark at .378). As a team, the Blazers shot a paltry .263 from 3 for the season (although that season stat has to have at least one asterisk by it given that 3 of the Blazers 4 best shooters missed sizable chunks of the season). The Spurs shot .455 from three for the season. They certainly should be expected to rack up more made threes than the Blazers.

All of that said, the Spurs had happy shooter syndrome with some serious home cooking, with 4 of 7 guys outperforming their averages. Vassell, Champagnie and Wemby in particular went nuts from 3. On the Blazers' side, 5 of 8 guys underperformed their season averages. Some of that can be chalked up to typical road shooting woes, some is probably attributable to the Spurs' defense, but it just seems that the Blazers all season long have either been on or awful from three. I'd be surprised to see Jrue shoot so poorly again. I'd like to see more volume from Camara, Thybulle and Scoot. I don't know if the Blazers will turn it around in the next game, but their season is going to end sooner than they like if they don't.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

How did this game thread turn into this?

It started with conspiracies that the NBA rigged the lottery for the Spurs and Wemby.

Because, y'know...San Antonio is such a money maker.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[wizenheimer]

None of that matters. See the link to the list I posted earlier today. The Nielsen market size list is what is widely used to determine market size.
and FYI Portland's DMA includes Vancouver etc.

I don't really care about that. I was just posing about metro area populations and geography

 

[HailBlazers]

It started with conspiracies that the NBA rigged the lottery for the Spurs and Wemby.

Because, y'know...San Antonio is such a money maker.

Wemby is. He had to go to a top tier organization.

David, Tim, Victor... it's the perfect situation.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Wemby is. He had to go to a top tier organization.

David, Tim, Victor... it's the perfect situation.

They probably forced Lamarcus to go there too.

 

[Samuel]

Yes it is important if you're comparing "cities" and they're not the same density.

The density of Portland and the Portland metro area is bigger than San Antonios. To call it a big market is misleading was my point.
If Portland and San Antonio were the same size Portland would be bigger both as the size of Portland AND the size of San Antonio, and more importantly the metro area here has a higher population density too.

I had the SAME argument on social with someone about this today. san antonio is covered like they are on the broadcast because they have wemby and a logo people remember from the ginobili days, not because they're a large market.

(it is wild how large of an area san antonio proper is! almost as large as sitka, alaska)

 

[bigbailes]

I had the SAME argument on social with someone about this today. san antonio is covered like they are on the broadcast because they have wemby and a logo people remember from the ginobili days, not because they're a large market.

(it is wild how large of an area san antonio proper is! almost as large as sitka, alaska)

One way I'd look at 'market size' and what the NBA thinks, look at which game was put on at 8pm local time and who was playing in a game where a good chunk of the viewers were either tuned out or asleep. The NBA told you yesterday that they don't see either SA or Portland as 'big' markets and were more than willing to put them on last. A lot of the time it's easy for the NBA to just put the west coast game on last because it makes the most sense for the local start times. But with all the games in the Central/Eastern time zones, they put San Antonio/Portland on last figuring it's two of the smaller markets. Neither of those markets are getting free agents any time soon, neither of them have a big footprint when it comes to merchandise outside of their city. I'd be curious to know how many Spurs jerseys you see at games 3 and 4. I saw maybe a dozen people last night in PDX gear and my guess is you'll see about that many SA fans in PDX, maybe a few more because of the Wemby factor, but that has nothing to do with what team/city he plays for.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

I am proud they didn't give up and kept swinging until the end. Make some of those open threes and we win this game.
Kinda surprise the new shooter “Creechee” didnt get more playing time since we weren't making shots.

Lets take game two now that we have felt them out!!!