On a quiet day, let’s roll back the clock 35 years. On May 19, 1990, the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs reached Game 7 of their Western Conference Semifinal series. The home team had won the first six games, and both teams knew what was on the line in Game 7: In the other half of the bracket, the fifth-seed Phoenix Suns had upset Magic Johnson and the dreaded top seed Los Angeles Lakers, both the Spurs and Blazers would have home court advantage, and the path to the 1990 NBA Finals was suddenly wide open.
The game was an instant classic in Portland, as the team came back late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, where they held on for the upset and a shot at the 1990 NBA Finals. But that’s a 35th anniversary article for another day. Tom Chambers won’t read it.
After the game, Terry Cummings, who scored 27 for the Spurs, [sourly remarked](https://bsky.app/profile/blazershistory.bsky.social/post/3lpkszurmtc2o) that “neither team played great or anything”. But Terry Porter rose to the occasion, scoring 36 points, including 4-9 from three, and Clyde Drexler came alive late to score 22 points with 13 rebounds. Two other players also finished with double-doubles, Jerome Kersey (21 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 steals, including a franchise-changing steal from future Blazer Rod Strickland) and Buck Williams, with 12 points and 15 boards. The injured Kevin Duckworth made headlines by returning with a brace; he scored a few early points to set the tone.
The Blazers and Spurs have played four other times in the playoffs, and this series still stands as Portland’s only victory over San Antonio.