Spurs Host Trail Blazers in NBA Playoffs Opener

First-round series between No. 1 seed San Antonio and No. 7 seed Portland tips off Sunday night.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:24pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game in motion, with the players and court fragmented into sharp, overlapping shapes in the Spurs' silver and black and the Trail Blazers' red, black, and white colors.The first-round NBA playoff clash between the Spurs and Trail Blazers promises an intense, high-stakes battle between two veteran-led squads.San Antonio Today

The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers will open their first-round NBA playoff series on Sunday night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The Spurs, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, won two of the three regular-season meetings between the teams. Portland earned the No. 7 seed by defeating the Phoenix Suns in the play-in tournament.

Why it matters

This series features a matchup between two storied franchises looking to make deep playoff runs. The Spurs are making their first postseason appearance since 2019, while the Trail Blazers are aiming to build on their play-in tournament success.

The details

The Spurs, led by veteran stars LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, posted the best record in the West at 62-20 during the regular season. Portland, meanwhile, squeaked into the playoffs by beating the Suns in the play-in tournament behind the dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

  • The series opener is set for Sunday, April 19 at 9 p.m. ET.
  • Game 2 will be played on Tuesday, April 21 at 8 p.m. ET.
  • The series then shifts to Portland for Game 3 on Friday, April 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET.
  • Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The players

LaMarcus Aldridge

A 6-time NBA All-Star and the Spurs' leading scorer during the regular season.

DeMar DeRozan

A 4-time NBA All-Star and the Spurs' second-leading scorer this season.

Damian Lillard

A 6-time NBA All-Star and the Trail Blazers' leading scorer and playmaker.

CJ McCollum

A 1-time NBA All-Star and Lillard's backcourt partner, forming one of the league's most dynamic scoring duos.

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What they’re saying

“We know it's going to be a tough series against a very talented Portland team, but we're ready for the challenge.”

— Gregg Popovich, Spurs Head Coach

“This is the kind of series we've been waiting for all season. We're excited to test ourselves against the best in the West.”

— Damian Lillard

What’s next

The winner of this series will advance to face the winner of the Denver Nuggets-Golden State Warriors matchup in the Western Conference semifinals.

The takeaway

This first-round clash between the Spurs and Trail Blazers features two of the Western Conference's most accomplished franchises, with both teams looking to make a deep playoff run. The series will showcase some of the NBA's elite talent, including Aldridge, DeRozan, Lillard and McCollum, and should provide an exciting start to the postseason.