French centre Victor Wembanyama, 22, scored 35 points in just 33 minutes on Sunday as the San Antonio Spurs (an NBA franchise based in Texas, USA) crushed the Portland Trail Blazers 111–98 in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, breaking the previous postseason debut scoring record of 32 points set by Spurs legend Tim Duncan in 1999. Wembanyama, who also held opponents to zero baskets in one-on-one defensive situations, shot 13 of 21 from the field and 5 of 6 from three-point range, continuing a breakout third season in which he averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists and is considered a frontrunner for both league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. The result underlines San Antonio's emergence as a genuine title contender, with the team having finished second in the Western Conference with a 62–20 record and standing as the only franchise to consistently defeat reigning champions the Oklahoma City Thunder this season.