The Portland Trail Blazers are in a bit of a tailspin.

A once promising start to the season has fizzled into a frustrating slump as the Blazers have now dropped five out of their last six following an ugly 131-118 drubbing by the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Here’s a quick spin around the web for the latest Blazers links and reaction to Sunday’s game.

• Our own Joe Freeman from San Antonio, where the Blazers say don’t panic yet, despite horrid defensive play of late:

The Spurs (11-12), who entered the game playing even worse than the Blazers, feasted on them, riding the two-headed monster of DeMar DeRozan (36 points, eight rebounds six assists) and LaMarcus Aldridge (29 points, eight rebounds), lethal shooting (60 percent from the field, 73 percent from three-point range) and timely transition play (17 fast break points) to a resounding victory. It was merely the latest offensive explosion by an opponent against a matador-like Blazers defense waving a whole lot of red capes.

Over the last seven games -- starting with that win over the Knicks -- the Blazers' defense has surrendered an average of 120.3 points as teams have shot a blistering 51.4 percent from the field against them, including 43.2 percent from three-point range. The Blazers have been bad early, allowing five of the seven opponents to score 60 or more first-half points, and late, surrendering 33 or more fourth-quarter points in three of the games.

Over the last 10 games, the Blazers own the NBA’s worst defensive rating (118.2).

• Dwight Jaynes of NBC Sports Northwest with more on the lowlights from Sunday’s loss:

The San Antonio Spurs made 60.2 percent of their shots, including a ridiculous 73.3 percent from three-point range, in a drubbing of Portland, the Blazers’ sixth loss in their last nine games.

Never mind the fact that the Trail Blazers got positive offensive performances from their starting forwards, Al-Farouq Aminu and Maurice Harkless. Or that Damian Lillard scored 37 points with 10 assists and just one turnover. Or that Portland shot 52.3 percent from the field.

None of that matters when you give up the kind of red-hot shooting that produces 131 points.

• The Spurs, meanwhile, made history on Sunday (via the San Antonio Express-News):

In shooting 60.2 percent from the field, 73.3 percent from 3-point range and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line, the Spurs recorded just the ninth 60/70/90 game in NBA history, according to Spurs media relations staffer Jordan Howenstine.

It was also the first 60/70/90 game since 1995. The Spurs are the only team in league history to shoot 60/70/90 in a game more than once. Sunday’s outing marked the second time they’ve done it.

• Sunday’s game served as a get-right night for the Spurs, writes Dan McCarney of NBA.com:

But after losing their previous two games by a combined 70 points, the Spurs were just happy to celebrate a win.

DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 36 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 29 for the Spurs, who blew an early 16-point lead, fell behind in the third quarter and ultimately beat the Blazers going away despite a 37-point onslaught from Damian Lillard.

• Jabari Young of the Athletic on the defense by San Antonio on Sunday:

Offense aside, the Spurs felt they needed to improve their defense if they wanted to snap their losing streak. Over the last two losses, the Spurs gave up an average of 132 points. Opponents were shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 42.1 percent on 3-pointers.

Popovich said he wanted to see more engagement and effort on the defensive end and got it against the Blazers. Players were talking, made the right rotations, and if they slipped on defense, like on a Maurice Harkless 3-pointer late in the second quarter, Popovich called a timeout and expressed his disapproval in a Popovich way.

The Spurs did allow the Blazers to shoot 41.1 percent from three, but held the visitors to only 38 points in the paint and displayed better transition defense.

• Michael C. Wright of ESPN on DeMar DeRozan’s big night against the Blazers:

San Antonio's 131 points were a season high for the team in regulation. DeRozan now has six games with 30 or more points, and only seven players in the NBA have more so far this season.

“He has a knack for getting to the line and finding his rhythm, and he’s never out of it,” said Aldridge, who finished with 29 points and eight rebounds. “So I have been impressed. It doesn’t matter how it looks early. He always finds a way.”

The Blazers wrap up their Texas two-step on Tuesday in Dallas against the Mavericks (11-10).