'They're Young, Too': What Trail Blazers Are Saying About Facing Spurs in First Round

Wembanyama's 25 points per game this season paired with 3.1 blocks as the NBA's two-time reigning blocks leader forces opposing offenses to adjust their strategy. Smaller, more physical attempts to stifle his production have worked best, as Phoenix showed early in the season, but placing focus on him opens the court elsewhere.

“There’s different things we can do, of course” Splitter said. “He presents some difficulties for our defense and offense but … we have different cards to play with. We can go small, we can go double big, we can do different things on the court.”

If it were up to Avdija, he'd rely on the big men behind him on defense.

“I think it really helps,” the All-Star forward said of having Robert Williams III and Donovan Clingan in the frontcourt. “Both of them are really great defensive guys (who have) improved a lot ... I think we’re capable. We have the weapons, defensively, offensively.”

Portland's ability to play fast and speed up its opponents has played a large role in its success, especially down the stretch of the season.

The Spurs, aware of such tendency, plan to match that with pace of their own; Mitch Johnson made clear pace doesn't have to constitute sloppy basketball.

"Playing fast doesn't mean you need to shoot fast or terminate a possession quickly," the Spurs' coach said. "That just means you want to play with the tempo, rhythm, style of play that your brand of basketball is. I think we're doing that."

San Antonio ranks 12th in the league in PACE, while boasting the league's second-best net rating with top-five finishes on both sides of the ball.

Beyond Wembanyama, it's capable of multi-faceted scoring from De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes. Still, the Spurs aren't keen on taking their opponent lightly.

"(They're a) very active team," Wembanyama said. "Very intense. Not an easy team to play."

At tipoff on Sunday night, the Trail Blazers will be ready to try their hand at the Spurs again. With Wembanyama in the mix, that matchup will look different than it has all season.

If Portland wants a shot at advancing, it has to get used to that sooner rather than later.

“He's up there with (Nikola) Jokić, (Joel) Embiid,” Clingan said of Wembanyama. “Guys who can really handle the ball, shoot ... drive from 3-point line ... he’s definitely up there.”