Jeremy Sochan’s impressive performance, featuring 31 points and 14 rebounds, alongside Victor Wembanyama’s 23 points and 12 rebounds, propelled the San Antonio Spurs to a 116-100 victory over Anfernee Simons-led Portland Trail Blazers during Friday’s NBA action.
Closely missing his season-high, Simons scored an impressive 40 points and contributed 10 assists for Portland. Sochan’s performance was particularly noteworthy, coming off a challenging game where he scored only two points in a loss to Oklahoma City. Reflecting on his approach, Sochan emphasized his recent focus on harnessing his athleticism and strength in play.
“At times, I sometimes go up, and maybe sometimes I forget how athletic I can be,” Sochan said. “Sometimes I get a little weak, and I get pushed around. The emphasis recently is just go in strong and finish the two.”
Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell added 21 and 15 points for the Spurs, respectively. This win marked a significant month for San Antonio, being their most successful in terms of victories this season, improving their record to 9-36.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs, Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Deandre Ayton scored 20 points for the Trail Blazers and secured 12 rebounds. Despite this effort, Portland has experienced a downturn, losing three of their last four games, bringing their record to 13-32. Despite Simons’ 16 points in the fourth quarter, Portland struggled to close a double-digit deficit. Simons acknowledged his recent efforts to be more assertively offensive early in games.
“In the last couple of games I just want to get back to just kind of being a little bit more aggressive, especially early on,” Simons said. “Just find ways to get the shots I want to take.”
The Spurs extended their lead to 18 points in the fourth quarter, a notable lead since their game against Charlotte on January 12.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs, Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Standing at 6-foot-8, Sochan initially faced challenges this season as the Spurs experimented with him in a larger lineup. However, after adjustments in December, Sochan has shown significant improvement, matching a career-high in three-pointers and achieving a season-high in rebounds against Portland.
“When he is playing like that, he is just a great player in every aspect of the game, so it makes me happy to see that,” Wembanyama said.
Wembanyama, his teammate, praised Sochan’s comprehensive skill set. He contributed with a 7-18 field goal performance, including a standout moment blocking Simons’ jumper and facilitating a scoring opportunity.
The Spurs demonstrated strong teamwork, finishing with 25 assists on 42 shots. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich commended the team’s consistent ball sharing, a key factor in their chance for victory.
“They’ve done that a lot this season,” Popovich said. “There have been times we’ve turned it over too much or not shot well, but pretty consistent as far as sharing the ball and getting the number of assists we need to have a chance to win.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs, Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers Updates
The Spurs are amidst a seven-game homestand before their annual extended road trip due to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.
