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Portland Trail Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter said Monday’s film session made one thing clear after a 111-98 Game 1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs: “They were more physical than us.”
Splitter said the Blazers were pushed around in the playoff opener and need a faster, tougher response in Game 2. “That cannot happen,” he said. “We got to match that or even be more physical than them.”
The Blazers were beaten badly in transition, where San Antonio finished with a 37-18 edge in points off the break. “They won the game in transition,” Splitter said. “We got to be ready to sprint back and guard them and we got to be more effective when we run.”
Portland also spent too much time settling for difficult mid-range looks against Victor Wembanyama’s rim protection. Splitter said, “Wemby forced you. You got to make some of that. You got to spray some of those out. You got to try to take him out of there.”
The Spurs limited Portland to 10-for-38 from three in Game 1, and Splitter said the Blazers have to be sharper across the board. “We definitely got to play better,” he said. “We got to shoot the ball better. We got to be more consistent.”
He added that the issue was bigger than any one age group on the roster. “Not just the vets or the youngs in general. We got to play better,” Splitter said. “We got to be more decisive and play faster, go through actions quicker, side to side in the court, make them scramble and make it harder for them.”
Splitter said the staff also reviewed what could have been done differently on the sideline. “There is always every game stuff like that with substitutions, with plays, with calls that we had and adjustments that we could have done better or get them ready to do it,” he said.
On the film room discussion, Splitter said the players were direct about what needed to change. “Most of them said that you got to play better. You got to be more physical.”
He also said the Blazers need to handle Wembanyama by moving him away from the rim. “I think we can take Wemby outside of the paint more often when we go small,” Splitter said, while adding, “We got to be ready for everything.”
Splitter said Portland’s issues in Game 1 started in transition and kept snowballing. “They try to run every time against us. We got to be ready for that.”
He did not rule out lineup changes, but confirmed Portland will open Game 2 with the same group. “Yes,” he said.
Before leaving the podium, Splitter summed up the mindset for the rematch in simple terms. “We are playing against a very good team,” he said. “Wemby is the best defensive player in the NBA and he really put us in a lot of trouble.”
