All hope seemed to be lost for the San Antonio Spurs in Game Three. With 7:30 left in the quarter, the team was down 15 points on the road, with no offensive rhythm, no defensive resistance, and no Victor Wembanyama. That was until a rookie of all people put the team on his back and, in the blink of an eye (or for half a quarter), turned around the game and perhaps the entire first-round series. Dylan Harper scored 12 points in the third quarter, dominating the Portland Trail Blazers on the way to a 120-108
victory.
He and the rest of the Spurs’ young core flipped the switch in the second half. He, Stephon Castle, and Carter Bryant played huge roles in the win despite all being 21 or younger. It was exactly the type of game the Spurs needed to flip the vibe of the entire series. After the win, San Antonio is a -190 favorite to take Game Four on FanDuel.
San Antonio’s young core will lead Game Three’s player grades. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Dylan Harper
30 minutes, 27 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 9-for-12 shooting, 4-for-5 threes, +25
This was a coming-out party for Harper, who had been relatively quiet in the first two games. The rookie talked the talk and walked the walk in Game Three. There was no fear, as he jawed at the Blazers while shooting free throws or held up three fingers at their bench after making a three-pointer. When Scoot Henderson scored on him, he talked smack right back to Harper before getting a technical (a masterclass in trolling by the rookie). Then Harper went down to the other end and put Scoot and Robert Williams III on a poster.
Harper’s confidence seemed to infect the rest of the team. All of a sudden, they were attacking Portland rather than getting attacked as they had for most of the game. The team started playing with more pace, rushing Portland into bad shots while they got to the basket or created easy shots in early offense. If the Spurs end up winning this series, we’ll likely be talking about Harper’s performance as the pivotal turning point that got them there.
Grade: A+
De’Aaron Fox
36 minutes, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7-for-16 shooting, 1-for-6 threes, +8
Fox has been under a lot of scrutiny in this series, but I thought he was masterful in Game Three. He did exactly what a veteran guard should do in the playoffs. He pushed all of the right buttons and didn’t do too much to interrupt the Spurs’ offensive flow. When the team’s ball movement got stagnant, Fox tried to get others involved. Late in the fourth quarter, when San Antonio was starting to take their foot off the gas, and Portland went on a 6-0 run, Fox began to take over, sensing the urgency of the moment.
Toumani Camara, the Blazers’ best perimeter defender, has been stuck on Fox since Wembanyama went out. That has actively taken pressure off the Spurs’ other guards. Fox has handled it well by not trying to do too much.
Grade: B+
Stephon Castle
34 minutes, 33 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, 10-for-18 shooting, 3-for-4 threes, -9
If it weren’t for Harper exploding offensively, we would likely be talking about Castle as the player of the game. He kept the Spurs afloat in the first half while Portland was shooting the lights out. Castle attacked relentlessly, getting to the free-throw line 11 times, knocking down 10 of those free shots. He was efficient from three, knocking down a trio of triples. Castle helped close this one out, hitting some huge shots in the fourth quarter to extend the lead.
Castle has been most impressive on the defensive end. He and Bryant (more on him later) took Deni Avdija out of the game. The Blazers’ best player went 3-15 from the field for 19 points. Avdija is a bowling ball in the paint, going into his defender’s chest over and over again. Castle has held his ground, without fouling for the most part, and went right back at him on the other end. Friday night was a true two-way performance.
Grade: A
Julian Champagnie
27 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-for-7 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, +7
Champagnie was far more aggressive in Game Three, and San Antonio needed him to be. He took some movement threes off screens and attempted to attack the basket when Portland overplayed him. Champagnie can’t afford to be one-dimensional offensively, so it’s good to see him attempting to do more, even if the results have been mixed. Ultimately, if Champagnie continues to knock down threes and battle on the boards, he is doing his job.
Grade: B
Devin Vassell
33 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-12 shooting, 3-for-7 threes, +6
Vassell hit some big threes on Friday, including one during their fourth-quarter run to extend the lead. That said, his shot selection was a bit mixed in Game Three. He’s taking some tough mid-range jumpers because Portland is guarding him so hard. Vassell is drawing a ton of defensive attention when he is running off screens, and the Spurs’ guards missed him a few times for what would have been open jumpers.
The Spurs’ wing should get a lot of credit for his defensive effort. He’s been locked in on that end, loading up on stocks (steals + blocks) in this series. He’s been a difference maker even when his shot isn’t falling.
Grade: B
Luke Kornet
30 minutes, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 6-for-9 shooting, 1-for-1 threes +4
My jaw dropped when Kornet hit a corner three-pointer. It was his first made three-pointer since the 2023-2024 season. That highlight aside, Kornet was awesome on both ends. He battled on the boards, grabbing 5 offensive rebounds, including a put-back dunk where he literally snatched the ball from Williams III’s hands. Defensively, he has been positionally sound and protected the paint with two blocks. Kornet is establishing himself as one of, if not the best, backup centers in the league.
Grade: A
Harrison Barnes
6 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 0-for-1 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, -2
Barnes is essentially out of the rotation at this point. He’s not making an impact offensively, and Bryant has been leagues better defensively. I still think there will be a game when the Spurs get a spark from him offensively, but it did not happen in Game Three.
Grade: C
Keldon Johnson
21 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 1-for-7 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, +4
Johnson continues to fight on both ends, but hasn’t had any luck putting the ball in the basket. The Blazers are a tough matchup for KJ. Their bigs are great at protecting the rim, and their wings are big and physical, keeping him from barreling his way to the rim like he normally does. His poor performances are not due to a lack of effort. He’s still battling on the glass and giving it all defensively, even if Portland is trying to target him on that end.
Grade: C+
Carter Bryant
23 minutes, 3 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 4 fouls, 1-for-5 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, +17
The rookie whom many thought would barely be in the rotation has taken on one of the most important roles in the playoffs. Bryant has been tasked with playing out of position at center. He’s risen to that challenge. Bryant’s effort is a joy to watch. He grabbed 4 offensive rebounds, blocked 3 shots, and played some of his best defense of the season on Advija. Bryant is usually known for being overly aggressive on defense, but in the second half, he did an incredible job of defending Portland’s best player without fouling.
He could afford to be a bit more confident on the offensive end. There are times when he catches the ball and doesn’t really know what to do with it. He’s proven he can hit open jumpers, and needs to be taking them so the Spurs can take advantage of the perks that come with a small-ball lineup. What he has lacked in shot-making, he has made up for in shot creation. Bryant has made a lot of good decisions with the ball in his hands, and he racked up 4 assists in Game Three’s win.
Grade: A-
Inactives: Victory Wembanyama, Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller
