Dylan Harper delivered 27 points off the bench as the Spurs beat the Trail Blazers 120-108 to take a 2-1 series lead—while Wembanyama sat out.
San Antonio didn’t have Victor Wembanyama available for Game 3, but it still found a way to leave Portland’s Moda Center with momentum—and NBA trivia attached.
Dylan Harper was the spark.. The rookie guard came off the bench and scored 27 points in the Spurs’ 120-108 victory on Friday night. pacing San Antonio’s turnaround without their cornerstone in the lineup.. More importantly for the story around this series. Harper became the second-youngest player in NBA history to score 20+ points off the bench in a playoff game. with Kobe Bryant remaining the only player ahead of him on that list.
The shot-making wasn’t casual either.. Harper hit 9-of-12 from the field and converted four three-pointers at key moments. turning stretches of Portland defensive resistance into quick Spurs runs.. In a playoff setting where one cold spell can swing momentum. Harper’s efficiency gave San Antonio a steady offensive answer—especially when the postseason crowd noise and game pressure were clearly at full volume.
Stephon Castle also carried a heavy offensive load, finishing with 33 points and five assists.. Together. the two rookies provided the scoring punch the Spurs needed to keep the Trail Blazers from settling into a comfortable defensive rhythm.. That matters because without Wembanyama. San Antonio couldn’t lean on the same rim-pressure and defensive gravity that shapes so many possessions.
De’Aaron Fox helped connect everything. He scored 18 points and added six assists, doing the kind of job that often goes unnoticed until it’s missing—getting teammates involved, organizing the half-court, and keeping tempo in the places where San Antonio needed shots rather than desperation.
Portland, meanwhile, fought through the absence of easy answers.. Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 19 points. and even with the intensity of a series game. the Spurs still managed to control key moments on the perimeter.. Avdija’s teeth mishap became a grim subplot during the night. but the bigger problem for Portland was that their best efforts weren’t enough to slow Harper’s production and the Spurs’ ability to punish openings.
Missing Wembanyama also changes how a team is expected to win.. With a star big man out on concussion protocol. San Antonio’s win conditions shift toward guard creation. spacing discipline. and bench scoring.. Harper’s performance did all three—he wasn’t only scoring. he was also drawing attention from defenders and cashing in from deep before Portland could re-set its coverage.
The payoff is clear: the Spurs now hold a 2-1 series lead and have reclaimed home-court advantage.. That’s not a small detail in a postseason series. especially when the matchups are still fluid and key roles can change game to game.. If Harper’s level continues. San Antonio doesn’t just survive the Wembanyama question—it turns it into an opportunity to build confidence with multiple scoring threats.
Still, this is where the analysis becomes sharper.. A rookie’s scoring surge in a playoff series can energize a team. but it also sets a new baseline for how opponents will adjust.. Portland will be forced to ask whether it can contain Harper without sacrificing too much off-ball spacing. and whether its next defensive plan can stop both him and Castle without collapsing the rest of the lineup.. San Antonio’s next challenge isn’t only to repeat the scoring—it’s to maintain the same offensive structure that allowed Harper’s shots to stay open.
For now. the Spurs have what every contender wants: a win that looks good on the scoreboard and even better in the bigger picture.. Harper has already given San Antonio a playoff moment that only a young Kobe Bryant previously managed to outshine. and the series will likely revolve around whether the Spurs can keep that kind of production flowing while Wembanyama remains sidelined.