The Portland Trail Blazers failed to capitalize on Shaedon Sharpe’s return to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, losing 118-105.

Sharpe came off the bench to score 13 points, but his presence wasn’t enough for the Blazers to overcome a poor three-point shooting night and the Spurs’ balanced scoring.

Portland shot 47.7% from the field, but hit just 9 of 32 on three-point attempts (28.1%).

“I just felt like we were chasing our tails the whole game,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told reporters at the Frost Bank Center. “Really and truly. We never really got into a rhythm.”

Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant each scored 21 points to lead the Blazers, who also got 19 points and seven assists from Anfernee Simons.

No one at Spurs reached the twenty-point mark. However, eight of the 10 players who scored in double figures minutes before mass substitutions took place with less than 30 seconds to go.

Guards Keldon Johnson and Malaki Branham each scored 17 points. Center Victor Wembanyama added 12 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots.

“I thought we did a good job with him,” Billups said of Wembanyama. “Really and truly. We switched who was guarding him. We’ve done a few things… He’s the kind of player that even if you tackle him well, he’ll try to make the right pass. He won’t exaggerate because you handled him right.’

San Antonio’s bench scored 61 points, compared to 31 for the Blazers.

“Their bench was just incredible,” Billups said.

The Spurs shot 16 of 29 from three-point range (41.0%) and 44 of 82 from the field (53.7%), while producing 35 assists.

WHAT IT MEANS

The Blazers (3-6) squandered an opportunity to pick up a win before facing Minnesota, with Memphis in the middle, in three of their next four games.

The Spurs (4-5) were without coach Gregg Popovich, who suffered from health problems on Saturday.

SHARP RETURNS

Sharpe, in his first action of the season after being out with a shoulder injury, shot 6 of 9 from the field to reach 13 points and also had two rebounds and an assist in just over 20 plays.

“I thought Shaedon played really well,” Billups said. “He looked comfortable.”

BANTON FIGHTS

Blazers guard/forward Dalano Banton played for the fourth quarter and things didn’t go well.

Banton played only in the fourth quarter during the Blazers’ previous two games in Phoenix and New Orleans, scoring 32 points on 13-for-16 shooting (81.3%) in just under 24 minutes.

For the Spurs, Banton entered the game for the first time in the first quarter, playing 16 minutes and 20 seconds, but scored only four points on 1-of-8 shooting.

NEXT

The Blazers end their road trip Friday with a 6 p.m. game at the Minnesota Timberwolves (5-3).