Dylan Harper Carries Spurs to Game 3 Win over Blazers

Playing in a packed and raucous Moda Center for the team’s first home playoff game in five long, hard years, the Portland Trail Blazers lost to a San Antonio Spurs team missing its superstar Victor Wembanyama on Friday evening. The final score was 120-108 in a gritty, physical battle of wills. Dylan Harper was the Spurs’ most impactful player. He took over the game after a decisive exchange at the end of the third quarter when Scoot Henderson soared for a twisting layup over Harper. Harper scored a team-high 27 points on 9-12 shooting with 10 rebounds. Stephon Castle, last year’s rookie of the year, scored 33 points in 34 minutes, shooting 55.6% from the floor and 75% from three. Jrue Holiday paced the Blazers with 29 points in his seventeenth season. Scoot Henderson continued his strong play, scoring 14 points in the first half and showing poise with four-of-six three-point attempts. Robert Williams III entered the game and contributed with two dunking opportunities and 11 points. Luke Kornet, filling in for Wembanyama, scored 14 points and collected 10 rebounds. The game was marked by runs: Blazers opened with 11 more shot attempts than the Spurs in the first quarter, while Spurs responded with a seven-point run. The Blazers built a third-quarter lead, but San Antonio’s zone defense and strategic changes led to a Spurs comeback. Avdija struggled early but doubled down in the second half, while De’Aaron Fox faced multiple fouls, including a technical foul after a controversial elbow to Avdija’s mouth. The Spurs’ defensive adjustments and Harper’s impact sealed the victory.