Spurs Game – Stephon Castle powered a 120-108 Game 3 win for the Spurs in Portland, turning a 15-point deficit into a 2-1 series lead despite Victor Wembanyama’s concussion absence.
The San Antonio Spurs didn’t just win Game 3 in Portland—they proved they can still swing the momentum even when their star is unavailable.
Stephon Castle delivered a driving. high-impact performance as San Antonio beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-108 on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series.. Castle finished with 33 points and five assists. a stat line that matched the feel of the game: when the Spurs looked stuck. he pushed pace. created easy looks. and refused to let a road deficit turn into a runaway.
The headline concern for Spurs fans remains Victor Wembanyama.. San Antonio was without the Defensive Player of the Year due to a concussion. and his absence forced a different defensive and offensive rhythm across the roster.. Without Wembanyama on the floor. the Spurs leaned more heavily on shot creation through guard play. and they asked role players to do more than simply “fill in.” In Game 3. that bet paid off.
Portland, meanwhile, looked ready to seize control early.. The Blazers used a 23-7 run in the second quarter to seize a 65-59 halftime advantage. fueled by Deni Avdija’s 11 points and Scoot Henderson’s 14.. That surge wasn’t just a scoring burst—it was a statement that Portland still had the organization and physicality to punish San Antonio while Wembanyama stayed sidelined.
But the Spurs answered with a third-quarter push that changed the storyline.. San Antonio logged a 23-12 run to tie the game at 85, then carried an 88-87 lead into the fourth quarter.. It was the kind of swing that playoff defenses hate: Portland’s lead disappeared in a stretch. and once it did. the pressure shifted toward the Blazers’ late-game execution.
De’Aaron Fox supported Castle with 18 points. four rebounds. and six assists. giving San Antonio another creator when the defense tightened.. Dylan Harper added energy and productivity off the bench with a double-double—27 points and 10 rebounds—helping the Spurs keep their edge during critical possessions.. Luke Kornet also contributed a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. a reminder that in a series like this. controlling the glass can be as decisive as scoring.
What made the finish particularly meaningful was the way the Spurs disrupted Portland late.. As the fourth quarter tightened. the Blazers faltered down the stretch. and San Antonio’s revamped lineup did enough to slow Portland’s rhythm and convert key possessions into points.. The result wasn’t merely a comeback—it was a series shift.. A team doesn’t steal a Game 3 on the road by accident, especially against a playoff-caliber opponent.
For Portland, the challenge now is clarity.. A halftime lead built on a strong second quarter doesn’t automatically translate to playoff wins if late-game offense stalls or matchups break down.. The Blazers still have talent and structure. but Game 3 showed how quickly a lead can evaporate once the opponent starts dictating tempo.
The next step for both teams is equally high stakes.. The Spurs and Blazers are set for Game 4 on Sunday in Portland. with the winner of the series advancing to face the victor of the Nuggets vs.. Timberwolves matchup in the Western Conference semifinals—where Minnesota currently leads 2-1.. For San Antonio, the immediate objective is simple: protect the momentum without Wembanyama.. For Portland, it’s about correcting the late-game lapses that turned a strong performance into a costly deficit.
Castle’s night sets a tone the Spurs can build around: if San Antonio can get this level of play without their defensive centerpiece. then the series becomes far more complicated for Portland to finish cleanly.. And for the Spurs. that’s the real takeaway—confidence. not just points. is carrying over after a comeback win that drew a clear line under Game 3.