Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle torched the Portland Trail Blazers, powering the Spurs to a 2-1 series lead with a thrilling road victory.
All hope seemed lost for the San Antonio Spurs in Game Three. Down 15 points on the road with 7:30 left in the third quarter, no offensive rhythm, shaky defense, and no Victor Wembanyama — that’s when a rookie stepped up and flipped the script in a heartbeat. Dylan Harper dropped 12 points in the third quarter alone, dominating Portland en route to a 120-108 win that shifted the momentum of the first-round series.
Carter Bryant, Dylan Harper take over Spurs’ comeback win in moment they dreamed of – The Athletic
He and the rest of the Spurs’ young guns ignited in the second half. Harper, Stephon Castle, and Carter Bryant — all 21 or younger — delivered massive performances exactly when San Antonio needed them most. This was the spark the Spurs required to change the vibe of the series. After the win, San Antonio sits as a -190 favorite to take Game Four on FanDuel.
Here are the player grades from Game Three, based on on-court impact beyond just the box score. A “B” is average NBA performance. Players with under 5 minutes or garbage time get incomplete grades.
Dylan Harper 30 minutes, 27 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 9-for-12 FG, 4-for-5 3PT, +25 This was Harper’s coming-out party after a quiet start to the series. The rookie backed up his talk with action, jawing at the Blazers during free throws and flashing three fingers at their bench after draining triples. When Scoot Henderson scored on him, Harper fired right back — then posterized Scoot and Robert Williams III on the other end. His confidence spread like wildfire, sparking the Spurs to play faster, attack the rim, and force Portland into mistakes. If San Antonio wins this series, Harper’s Game 3 masterclass will be remembered as the turning point. Grade: A+
De’Aaron Fox 36 minutes, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7-for-16 FG, 1-for-6 3PT, +8 Fox faced plenty of scrutiny early in the series, but he was excellent in Game Three. The veteran point guard made all the right plays without forcing things, keeping the offense flowing. When the ball movement stalled, he got teammates involved. Late in the fourth, as Portland mounted a 6-0 run, Fox took control and restored order. With Toumani Camara hounding him, Fox stayed patient and created opportunities for others. Grade: B+
Stephon Castle 34 minutes, 33 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 2 fouls, 10-for-18 FG, 3-for-4 3PT, -9 Without Harper’s explosion, Castle would have stolen the show. He kept San Antonio in it during the first half when Portland was on fire. Castle attacked the rim relentlessly, going 10-for-11 from the free-throw line, and knocked down timely threes. He also closed strong with clutch shots in the fourth. On defense, Castle and Bryant neutralized Deni Avdija (3-for-15), holding their ground and matching his physicality. A true two-way gem. Grade: A
No Wemby, no problem: Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle carry Spurs past Trail Blazers in Game 3 – The Athletic
Julian Champagnie 27 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-for-7 FG, 2-for-4 3PT, +7 Champagnie showed more aggression, hitting movement threes and attacking closeouts. He can’t be one-dimensional, so seeing him expand his game was encouraging even if results were mixed. Solid rebounding and spacing helped. Grade: B
Devin Vassell 33 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-12 FG, 3-for-7 3PT, +6 Vassell drained some huge threes, including one during the fourth-quarter push. Shot selection was occasionally questionable under tight defense, but his effort on the glass and defensive versatility (multiple stocks) made a real difference. Grade: B
Luke Kornet 30 minutes, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 6-for-9 FG, 1-for-1 3PT, +4 Kornet’s corner three was a shocker — his first since 2023-24. Beyond that, he dominated the glass (5 offensive rebounds, including a highlight put-back) and anchored the paint with strong positioning and blocks. He’s proving to be one of the league’s top backup centers. Grade: A
Harrison Barnes 6 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 0-for-1 FG, 0-for-1 3PT, -2 Barnes is mostly out of the rotation now. Bryant’s superior defense has him on the bench. He’ll need a spark in a future game, but it didn’t come here. Grade: C
Keldon Johnson 21 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 1-for-7 FG, 1-for-1 3PT, +4 Johnson battled hard on both ends but couldn’t buy a bucket. Portland’s physical wings and rim protectors made it tough. His effort never wavered. Grade: C+
Carter Bryant 23 minutes, 3 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 4 fouls, 1-for-5 FG, 1-for-4 3PT, +17 The rookie thrust into a center role out of position has been outstanding. Bryant’s motor is infectious — 4 offensive rebounds, 3 blocks, and stellar defense on Avdija without fouling late. He needs more offensive confidence, but his playmaking and hustle more than compensated. Grade: A-
Inactives: Victor Wembanyama, Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller