{"id":265562,"date":"2026-04-25T06:43:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T06:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/265562\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T06:43:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T06:43:12","slug":"dylan-harper-pushes-spurs-to-game-3-win-over-trail-blazers-in-portland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/265562\/","title":{"rendered":"Dylan Harper pushes Spurs to Game 3 win over Trail Blazers in Portland"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs\u2019 Keldon Johnson, left, and David Jones Garcia, right, hype up Stephon Castle as they walk back to the locker room following the Spurs\u2019 120-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Saturday, April 25, 2026. Castle had 33 points, two rebounds and 5 assists, which helped lead the Spurs to victory.\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs\u2019 Keldon Johnson, left, and David Jones Garcia, right, hype up Stephon Castle as they walk back to the locker room following the Spurs\u2019 120-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Saturday, April 25, 2026. Castle had 33 points, two rebounds and 5 assists, which helped lead the Spurs to victory.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) hooks his arms around Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) as they fight for the rebound during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026. The Spurs defeated the Trail Blazers 120-108 to lead the series 2-1.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) hooks his arms around Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) as they fight for the rebound during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026. The Spurs defeated the Trail Blazers 120-108 to lead the series 2-1.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) walks back to the locker room following the Spurs\u2019 120-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Saturday, April 25, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) walks back to the locker room following the Spurs\u2019 120-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Saturday, April 25, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward David Jones Garcia, right, hypes up San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle as they walk back to the locker following their 120-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Saturday, April 25, 2026. Castle had 33 points, two rebounds and 5 assists, which helped lead the Spurs to victory.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward David Jones Garcia, right, hypes up San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle as they walk back to the locker following their 120-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Saturday, April 25, 2026. Castle had 33 points, two rebounds and 5 assists, which helped lead the Spurs to victory.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) reacts as the Spurs take the lead during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) reacts as the Spurs take the lead during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) rebounds the ball during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) rebounds the ball during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) reacts after making a shot against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) reacts after making a shot against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the third quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives around Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives around Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) reacts as the referees call a foul against him while he was guarding San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) reacts as the referees call a foul against him while he was guarding San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) blocks San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) blocks San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) goes up for a shot around Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard De&#8217;aaron Fox (4) goes up for a shot around Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) lays the ball in around Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) lays the ball in around Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) blocks a shot by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) blocks a shot by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson talks to referee Brian Forte (45) during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson talks to referee Brian Forte (45) during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) watches his teammates play during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) watches his teammates play during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) talks directly into a camera after making a shot against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) talks directly into a camera after making a shot against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs fans Melissa Hernandez Marmolejo and her nephew Miles Orsborn, 8, watch the Spurs warm up on the court before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs fans Melissa Hernandez Marmolejo and her nephew Miles Orsborn, 8, watch the Spurs warm up on the court before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"Towels are laid out on each chair for fans before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series between the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Towels are laid out on each chair for fans before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series between the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"People walk on the court before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series between the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>People walk on the court before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series between the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson answers questions from reporters at a pre-game press conference before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson answers questions from reporters at a pre-game press conference before Game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Friday, April 24, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-channels-pixel.ex.co\/events\/0012000001fxZm9AAE?integrationType=DEFAULT&amp;template=design%2Farticle%2Fplatypus_two_column.tpl\" alt=\"\" class=\"x1px y1px vh abs\" aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n<p>With Victor\u00a0Wembanyama sidelined due to the concussion protocol, rookie Dylan Harper stepped up with a career-high 27 points, powering the Spurs to a 120-108 win in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Blazers on Friday in Portland, Ore. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The win gives No. 2 seed San Antonio a 2-1 edge in the series against No. 7 seed Portland, with Game 3 set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Harper, who sat much of the fourth quarter in Game 2 while battling a nagging thumb injury, scored 22 of his 27 points after halftime. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>San Antonio trailed by as many as 15 points in the third quarter but flipped the game behind the bench surge, holding a comfortable double-digit lead down the stretch. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Stephon Castle scored a game-high 33 points, including 22 in the opening half, on 10-of-18 shooting, hitting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Harper also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out three assists, connecting on 9 of 12 shots and drilling 4 of 5 from 3-point range. He became the youngest guard in NBA history with a double-double in a playoff game, and the first rookie with 25 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in a playoff game since 1987.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The Spurs improved to 13-6 this season without Wembanyama, including a 3-1 mark against the Blazers. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Dylan Harper has scored 22 of his career-high 27 points in the second half, carrying San Antonio to a 108-97 lead with 5:01 to play. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Harper has hit 9 of 11 shots from the field and 4 of 5 from 3-point range, punctuating his scoring outburst with a thunderous dunk early in the fourth quarter.\u00a0His 12 points in the third quarter tied the Spurs rookie record for most points in any quarter of a playoff game, matching Manu Ginobili&#8217;s output in the second quarter of Game 4 of a series at Dallas\u00a0in 2003.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Stephon Castle also has 29 points for San Antonio, scoring five straight in the fourth quarter after dropping 22 in the opening half. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Blazers had a 95-93 lead early in the final period before San Antonio went on a 12-0 run to take command.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The energy at The Rock at La Cantera as Spurs fans erupted during a third-quarter surge that gave San Antonio the lead.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As the Spurs chipped away at the deficit, the watch party crowd grew louder with each possession, cheers building and hands shooting into the air as the comeback took shape.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>When the Spurs finally pulled ahead, the reaction was immediate, with fans roaring and feeding off the momentum.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>By the end of the quarter, the atmosphere had fully turned. A loud, unified \u201cLet\u2019s go Spurs!\u201d chant broke out across the venue, capping a rally that reignited belief and brought the crowd to its feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After trailing by as many as 15 points, San Antonio closed the third quarter on a 21-5 run, carrying an 88-87 lead into the final period.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The Spurs leading this game going to the fourth quarter is pretty amazing.<\/p>\n<p>Give Dylan Harper all the credit.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JMcDonald_SAEN\/status\/2047900652161126455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">April 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Dylan Harper scored 12 of his 17 points in the third quarter to drive the Spurs rally.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Blazers led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, but the Spurs bench surged with seven straight points to cut the lead in half, and San Antonio extended the run to 16-3 to pull within 85-83 of Portland with 1:01 to play in the quarter. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Dylan Harper is up to 15 points on 4-of-5 shooting, hitting 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, while Carter Bryant knocked down a 3-pointer and NBA Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson scored his first two points of the night at the free-throw line, then added a 3-pointer late in the quarter. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Needing contributions from all corners of the roster with star center Victor Wembanyama sidelined, San Antonio\u2019s bench has instead struggled to produce, allowing Portland to take a 77-66 lead with 6:45 to play in the third quarter. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Dylan Harper, battling a thumb injury, has seven points on 2-of-3 shooting, but reserves Keldon Johnson, Carter Bryant and Harrison Barnes are yet to score, missing all 10 shot attempts. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Tough first half for Spurs bench, getting outscored 20-5. Keldon Johnson, Carter Bryant, Harrison Barnes a combined 0 for 10. Harper shook off his sore thumb to score the 5 points on 2 of 3.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tom_orsborn\/status\/2047889550866092363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">April 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Stephon Castle has stepped up as a primary scorer with 22 points, but Portland continues to hit from 3-point range, now up to 12 of 26 (46.2%) for the game. Jrue Holiday leads with 22 points, while Deni Avdija has 15. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Even with San Antonio struggling and a late 9:30 p.m. tipoff, Spurs fans packed The Rock at La\u00a0Cantera for a Game 3 watch party, bringing playoff energy as they followed the action from home.<\/p>\n<p>Spurs fans liked the energy early but say execution must improve without Victor\u00a0Wembanyama. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re playing aggressive, but need more patience offensively,\u201d said Jason Alaniz. \u201cThe shots will come if they settle in.\u201d He added foul trouble has been a concern with no rim protector behind the defense. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Fans also pointed to rebounding and interior defense as key issues. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re getting killed on the boards,\u201d said Benjamin Salazar. \u201cWe need to stay down low and clean up both sides.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He also believes there\u2019s pressure on De\u2019Aaron Fox to take control as the Spurs search for offense. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Still, belief hasn\u2019t wavered. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think they can turn it around,\u201d Alaniz said. \u201cJust play smarter and stay aggressive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Portland exploded for 36 points in the second quarter to mark the Blazers\u2019 highest-scoring quarter of the series, building a 65-59 lead on San Antonio at halftime. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Portland has hit 10 of 21 (47.6%) from 3-point range, helping spark a 15-2 run through the middle of the second period after San Antonio built a six-point lead. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>De\u2019Aaron Fox, San Antonio\u2019s second-leading scorer at 18.6 points per game during the regular season, posted 10 points with four rebounds and four assists during the opening half. He nearly picked up a fourth foul in the closing seconds before halftime, but the offensive foul call was overturned on review. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Fox averaged 27 points per game in three regular-season matchups against the Blazers, with Wembanyama sitting out all three meetings. But Fox faded late in Game 2 of their playoff series, hitting 1 of 6 shots in the fourth quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Stephon Castle has provided most of San Antonio\u2019s offense, scoring 19 points. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Veteran Portland guard Jrue Holiday has exploded for 17 points in his first 16 minutes, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to spark the Blazers to a 47-43 lead with 5:43 to play in the second quarter. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Holiday is 3 for 5 from 3-point range to lead Portland\u2019s barrage from outside, as the Blazers opened 7 of 18 from beyond the arc, taking nearly half of their 40 shots from outside. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Spurs ripped off the first seven points of the second quarter, fueling a push to a 41-40 lead at the first timeout of the period with 7:31 to play before halftime. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The Spurs are shooting 5 for 12 (41.7%) from 3-point range with connections from five different players, including center Luke Kornet knocking one down for the first time since the 2023-24 season. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Stephon Castle has continued to look like San Antonio&#8217;s most\u00a0impactful offensive playmaker, scoring a game-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Fans gathered at The Rock at La\u00a0Cantera are staying optimistic after Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a lot of faith in the team,\u201d said Eric Salcido. \u201cIt hurts not having him, but we\u2019ll get through this one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Several fans pointed to the San Antonio Spurs success without Wembanyama earlier this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019ve done great without him before,\u201d said Alyssa Benitez. \u201cThey\u2019re going to bring their A-game.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Jose Gonzalez said the focus now shifts to stepping up on the road.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019ve got to steal one,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we come back tied 2-2, we\u2019re in a good spot.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Carlos Yanez added the team should be more mentally prepared after Game 2.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe it shocked them last game, but now they\u2019re ready,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Gracy Rivera, dressed head-to-toe in Spurs gear, summed up the mood: \u201cI believe in this team. They\u2019re going to learn from the last game and bring it tonight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>A fan favorite on both sides, former Spurs and Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge was greeted with loud cheers when he was shown on the video board in the Moda Center during Friday\u2019s game. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Aldridge opened his career with nine seasons in Portland before signing with San Antonio, where he played for six years. He retired after the 2021-22 season as a seven-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Undersized for the role of a big to replace Victor Wembanyama, 6-foot-6 rookie Carter Bryant delivered his best center impression in his first two minutes on the court Friday, delivering a pair of blocks. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Bryant started slow in his playoff debut, grabbing two rebounds with three fouls in four minutes of Game 1 and then posting a minus-13 across just 12 minutes in Game 2. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Stephon Castle continues to carry the early load on offense for San Antonio, scoring 12 first-quarter points as Portland closed the period leading 29-27.<\/p>\n<p>After scoring a season-high 31 points in Game 2 Tuesday in San Antonio, Portland\u2019s Scoot Henderson knocked down his first two 3-point attempts Friday, scoring eight early points to help the Blazers to a 15-13 lead at the first timeout with 5:22 to play in the opening quarter. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Stephon Castle is San Antonio\u2019s leader with seven early points. With Victor Wembanyama sidelined in the concussion protocol, Luke Kornet started for the Spurs, chipping in two points, two rebounds, a block and a turnover. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Playing 28 minutes after Wembanyama exited early in the second quarter of Game 2, Kornet finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, as the Spurs were plus-11 with him on the floor in a 106-103 loss. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Looking undaunted by the prospect of playing without Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs gathered around Keldon Johnson&#8217;s boombox for a quick dance party before tipoff Friday in Portland.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The dance moves might need some work, but the team&#8217;s mindset seems to be in the right place.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama is still in concussion protocol, raising the pressure on the rest of the roster as San Antonio looks to regain the lead in its first-round playoff series against Portland. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The series stands at 1-1 entering a Game 3 tipoff set for 9:30 p.m. Friday from the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. The matchup will be streamed on Amazon. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>San Antonio is 12-6 and 2-1 against Portland this season without Wembanyama, who entered the league\u2019s concussion protocol after banging his chin against the court on a hard fall early in the second quarter of Tuesday\u2019s Game 2 in San Antonio. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He traveled with the team Thursday, was listed as questionable on the injury report that night and participated in shootaround Friday morning, but coach Mitch Johnson ultimately ruled Wembanyama out shortly before Friday\u2019s tipoff. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In Wembanyama\u2019s absence Tuesday, the second-seeded Spurs built a lead as large as 14 points during the fourth quarter but went cold down the stretch, finishing without a field goal across the final 3:37 as the No. 7 seed Blazers rallied for a 106-103 win to tie the series. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Dylan Harper (thumb) and Harrison Barnes (shoulder) also appeared to suffer injuries Tuesday, but both are expected to play Friday and were not listed on the injury report. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As the San Antonio Spurs get ready for a late-night battle against the Portland Trail Blazers, Keldon Johnson, De\u2019Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell all leaned into denim, each putting their own spin on the classic look ahead of the 9:30 p.m. Game 3 tipoff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Johnson, fresh off winning Sixth Man of the Year, showed up in a look that balanced confidence with ease. He paired a bright red Carhartt zip-up hoodie with relaxed-fit jeans and exotic square-toed boots, finishing it off with a subtle diamond chain and wired headphones for an understated edge.<\/p>\n<p>While Johnson went with a western workwear look, both Fox and Vassell drew inspiration from two different places.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"San Antonio Spurs\u2019 Keldon Johnson, left, and David Jones Garcia, right, hype up Stephon Castle as they walk&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":265563,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[82,84,83],"class_list":{"0":"post-265562","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-antonio","8":"tag-san-antonio","9":"tag-san-antonio-headlines","10":"tag-san-antonio-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265562\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}