After an uninspired first half, the Portland Trail Blazers pounced on the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter on Friday night and gained control of the game heading into the final period. The Blazers took advantage of their good juju in the third quarter and even led by 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Then the Blazers collapsed as the Spurs fought back with two free throws from Victor Wembanyama in the final seconds to win 118-116.

Blazer of the Game: Jerami Grant. The Blazers struggled to score in the first half, and then Grant scored 22 points and six 3-pointers in the third quarter to revitalize the offense. It was part of a 12-for-19 performance from the field for 32 points, including an 8-for-10 mark from behind the 3-point line. Additionally, with several Portland centers sidelined and Donovan Clingan serving a minutes suspension, Grant admirably took over Wembanyama’s primary defensive duties and made the otherworldly center work for his shots.

Status of the night: 2. This statistic represents the number of technical tackles that Spurs guard Chris Paul completed within 11 seconds, ending his night at the 1:03 mark of the first quarter. Paul berated the officials for a foul he wanted and apparently went too far with his words. The veteran had a good game before his departure, recording five points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal in 11 minutes.

What we will remember: Grant catches fire in the third part. Grant had an unremarkable game through two quarters, but the third quarter firestorm turned a 10-point deficit into an eight-point lead in 12 minutes. He made six three-pointers in the quarter after the Blazers made just five in the first half. The shooting technique thrilled the crowd and seemed to rub off on his teammates, helping the Blazers build a healthy double-digit cushion. Perhaps the only thing more memorable than Grant’s third-quarter outburst was the Blazers’ fourth-quarter collapse that ended them.

Box score

What’s next: A quick trip to the desert. The Blazers take a road trip to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday and then play three more days before facing the Denver Nuggets at home on Thursday.