NBA Notes: Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, Celtics, Jaylen Brown, Blazers

Spurs

The Spurs are back to 50 wins. Been a while.

San Antonio held off the Clippers, 119-115, in a game that had a little bit of everything. Slow start. Big run. Near collapse. And finally, just enough poise to finish it.

Victor Wembanyama delivered 21 points and 13 rebounds. Stephon Castle led the way with 23, eight assists and seven boards. Devin Vassell chipped in 20.

The Spurs fell behind by 14 early, then flipped it completely. They outscored the Clippers 37-15 in the second quarter and at one point led by 24. Looked like a rout.

Then came the wobble.

The Clippers made a push, Darius Garland got hot late, and suddenly it was a four-point game with under a minute left. San Antonio steadied itself at the line and got out of there.

Fifty wins for the first time since 2017. Three games behind the Thunder. Safe to say, this rebuild skipped a few steps.

Celtics

Jaylen Brown took over when it mattered. Again.

Brown dropped 41, including 18 in the fourth, as the Celtics pulled away from the Suns, 120-112.

Boston trailed late. Then flipped the switch.

Brown picked Devin Booker clean, set up Jayson Tatum for a layup, then went right back to work. Free throws. Midrange. Control.

Next thing you know, it’s a 12-1 closing run and game over.

Tatum added 21 in his fifth game back from the Achilles injury and looked more comfortable. Derrick White scored 21, Payton Pritchard had 19.

Booker did his part with 40 for Phoenix. Didn’t matter.

This is what Boston does. Hang around, then hit you all at once.

Trail Blazers

Portland didn’t mess around.

The Blazers rolled past the Nets, 114-95, in a game that was basically decided before halftime.

Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara each scored 18. Scoot Henderson added 16 off the bench. Donovan Clingan went for 14 and 11.

Portland jumped out 10-0, led by 15 after one, and kept pushing. At one point, it was a 31-point game.

Brooklyn never had it. Shot 30 percent from the field and barely cracked 14 percent from three. That’s not winning anywhere.

The Blazers are now right in the mix for the nine spot in the West, sitting just a half-game behind Golden State.

Not flashy. Just took care of business.