FINAL
Trail Blazers 121, Spurs 116
San Antonio came back from being down by 18 after the first quarter to take the lead in the second half, but it turns out Portland had a comeback in them as well, one that would cement a fifth straight loss for the Spurs.
The visitors outscored their hosts 17-5 in the final 3:52 to win Saturday's game, making the Spurs' epic comeback go to naught, despite a 30-point effort by LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio drops to 5-8 with the loss. and the Trail Blazers improve to 5-8.
Up next for the Spurs is a Monday night with the Mavericks, in Dallas. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. CT.
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Portland isn't going down quietly.
With 4:03 to go in the game, the visitors have shaved the deficit to six points. San Antonio leads, 110-104, as the homestretch awaits.
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A 10-3 run to start the fourth quarter has helped the Spurs cushion their lead. With 8:21 to go in the game, they lead the Trail Blazers, 106-96.
Third Quarter
Trail Blazers 90, Spurs 96
A furious 19-4 run to end the third quarter has put San Antonio in prime position to finish an epic comeback against Portland, after being down by 18 after the first quarter.
San Antonio outscored Portland 38-24 in the frame. The Spurs are now shooting 51% for the game, compared to the visitors' 49% mark.
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A three-point play by DeMar DeRozan has brought San Antonio to within six points with 6:10 to go in the quarter. Portland leads, 83-77, as the Silver and Black continue to chip away at their lead.
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Popovich has been ejected in the third quarter of Saturday's game, paving the way for history at the AT&T Center: Becky Hammon is expected to be the first woman to coach in a game in NBA history.
With 8:33 to go in the game, the Spurs trail 79-66.
Second Quarter
Trail Blazers 66, Spurs 58
San Antonio did what it had to do in the second quarter: Get all hands on deck and prevent the game from getting out of hand after a dismal first quarter.
The problem is, the first-quarter deficit was 18 points. So while the home team outscored the visitors by 13 in the second quarter, they still find themselves in an eight-point hold at halftime.
Portland has made a tick under 60% of its shots from the floor, compared to 47% for San Antonio. CJ McCollum's 23 points lead all players; the Spurs are paced by 23 combined points from LaMarcus Aldridge and Bryn Forbes.
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San Antonio has a big mountain to climb after a poor defensive first quarter, but so far in the second they've cut the deficit against Portland to 12 points with just over five minutes to go.
First Quarter
Trail Blazers 41, Spurs 23
San Antonio's tendency to dig themselves into an early hole returns on Saturday, as the first dozen minutes at the AT&T Center end with the home team facing an 18-point deficit. CJ McCollum and Hassan Whiteside both have eight points for Portland; no Spur has more than six points.
The Silver and Black also allowed Portland to make 76% of their shots from the floor.
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At the first timeout of the game, the Spurs are down to the Trail Blazers, 13-9, with 6:39 to go in the game.
Pregame
San Antonio will be playing to end a four-game losing skid when it takes on the visiting Portland Trail Blazers at the AT&T Center Saturday.
Following a dramatic 111-109 loss in Orlando Friday, the Spurs stand at 5-7 entering Saturday's matchup after winning their first three games of the season. The Trail Blazers are mired in just a bad of a slump; they have only one win in their last seven games.
Saturday's game begins at 7:30 p.m. CT. Follow along here for live updates.
