TUALATIN -- There was a lot of attention surrounding the Trail Blazers’ home opener Thursday night, You know ... the Lakers, LeBron, winning streaks, national television, etc.

But Saturday night’s game in Moda Center against the San Antonio Spurs shapes up to be a much more challenging evening for the home team.

San Antonio’s new-look Spurs visit Portland with the last vestiges of their “Big Three” absent and a new all-star in the fold.

The 1-0 Spurs come in off a 112-108 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday night in their first game since 2001 without either Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, two-thirds of the Big Three that brought multiple championships (along with retired Tim Duncan) to the franchise. The Spurs, of course, were also without Kawhi Leonard, traded last summer to Toronto for DeMar DeRozan,

But the Spurs are still the Spurs – a team not to be taken lightly, especially with the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge and DeRozan carrying a heavy load.

“It’s still San Antonio basketball,” said Portland’s CJ McCollum after practice Friday. “They have implemented DeMar seamlessly. It’s typical Spurs basketball. It will be a good game.”

But certainly a different game than the opener, which featured the run-and-gun attack of the Lakers.

“The exact opposite,” said Damian Lillard. “The Spurs execute well in halfcourt, have good ball movement, screen well and they are well coached, so it’s going to be a completely different game.”

Coach Terry Stotts agreed.

“It will be a different-paced game,” he said. “We’re going to try to push it a little but I don’t know if San Antonio will run with us.”

There isn’t a lot to go on yet with the Spurs after just one game. And the developing dynamic between Aldridge and DeRozan will be something to watch.

''He's a great passer,'' Aldridge said of DeRozan. ''He's always looking and probing and I'm too open. I have to get used to being ready and just taking my time. When I figure it out (and) I get my rhythm back, it's going to be way easier out there to score having him.''

Aldridge had 19 rebounds but needed 23 shots to score his 21 points. DeRozan scored 28, including a field goal and two free throws late to seal the game.

''Hey, I've been doing it for some years now,'' the 29-year-old DeRozan said about the late heroics. ''I just feel out the game, always try to be aggressive and at the end moments, I always want to be there. I'm not afraid to make mistakes, but with that I'm not afraid to try to go out there and win the game.''

And that will be part of the challenge Saturday night in Moda in the season’s second game.