Trail Blazers top Spurs 99-98
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Noah Vonleh made a layup at the buzzer and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the San Antonio Spurs 99-98 on Monday night despite resting starters Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
Shabazz Napier scored a career-high 32 points for Portland, which won its third straight a day after Denver’s loss to Oklahoma City gave the Blazers the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 18 points.
Portland took an 88-87 lead on Napier’s 3-pointer before Bryn Forbes answered with a 3 for the Spurs. San Antonio extended the lead on Jonathon Simmons’ dunk and Kyle Anderson’s basket.
After Pat Connaughton’s long jumper for Portland, Jake Layman dunked to narrow the gap to 98-97 with 12 seconds to go. The Spurs threw an inbound out of bounds to give the ball back to Portland, and Vonleh’s layup fell amid the scramble under the basket.
