During Sunday's Game 1 in San Antonio, the Portland Trail Blazers were surrounded by color-coordinated fans wearing Spurs shirts.
But when the Spurs play Portland later this week, they won't see fan T-shirts draped over the backs of chairs. Trail Blazers president Dewayne Hankins said fans won't receive T-shirts -- a customary provision from ownership to fan bases across the league -- for Friday's Game 3 or Sunday's Game 4 against the Spurs at the Moda Center.
San Antonio Spurs fans were issued color-coordinated T-shirts for Game 1 vs. the Trail Blazers. Portland will not be doing the same for Games 3 and 4 at the Moda Center. David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images The T-shirt plan is another in a series of moves drawing attention in the weeks since the Blazers were officially purchased by Tom Dundon, a Texas billionaire who also owns the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes. He bought the team for $4.25 billion.
Sheel Tyle, co-owner of the Blazers, posted on X that "we are doing something else," but the team hasn't said or posted anything further on the matter.
The Blazers also will not send two-way players -- those who play on an NBA and G-League contract -- to road playoff games. Those players -- Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood and Jayson Kent -- aren't eligible to play in the postseason, but teams typically allow them to travel. Love played in 49 games, averaging 20 minutes, 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Two-way players from the other seven playoff teams traveled to games.