Game Thread Playoffs Round 1, Game 3: Spurs @ Blazers (1-1) (Fri 04/24/2026) [9:30 CDT]

[Fireball]

Have not looked through the game thread but what is the verdict on Stephon Castle. He had the most points, but the worst plusminus. He was efficient last night, so that is good but
without him the offense is just in a better flow. So if I contribute a team win to a player, its more Harper than Castle.

Overall just glad we won the game. I jumped of the cliff several times so I cannot imagine how the game thread was going

 

[Robz4000]

Have not looked through the game thread but what is the verdict on Stephon Castle. He had the most points, but the worst plusminus. He was efficient last night, so that is good but
without him the offense is just in a better flow. So if I contribute a team win to a player, its more Harper than Castle.

Overall just glad we won the game. I jumped of the cliff several times so I cannot imagine how the game thread was going

Carried the team early but didn't really get anyone else involved. Was mediocre for the middle two quarters but came in for Harper in the fourth and propelled the Spurs to their 15 point lead. Had some boneheaded turnovers but in hindsight, some of them were actually smart plays that didn't work out.

 

[Spursgenius]

I've been saying this about Champ for awhile. I also say it about Vassell. But, then they have a great game and I get yelled out for even mentioning it before. I just don't see the Spurs going far with those 2 in the starting lineup. But, who knows...I've been wrong once or twice in my life .

Definitely need to upgrade champ in starting lineup with big pf who can rim protect and shoot next year. Maybe the German dude from west coast in draft. Great rebounder and decent shooter. Not a high rim protector but big body. I really want Quintana’s

Did anyone else see the excited fist pump by Dwayne Wade of the broadcast team, after Dylan Harper made an important play? Maybe it was after the dunk?

unlike Reggie miller sucking blazer cck. Yes.

 

[mudyez]

Harpers Dunk might have re-concussed Wemby just by witnessing it!

 

[brazil]

Spurs steal game 3 in OT, Victor back game 4 for 20 mn, Spurs gets an easy win against Blazers demoralized, Spurs finishes the business at home in a close game.

So far so good, just a bit disappointed it did not go to OT

 

[Spursgenius]

Outscored them 61 to 43 in the last 2 quarters.

We’ll actually do the math from 6 min left in third. Last 18 min was even more epic. I mean we were down 15 with 5 min left in third

 

[Robz4000]

We’ll actually do the math from 6 min left in third. Last 18 min was even more epic. I mean we were down 15 with 5 min left in third

Guests were up 82-67 with 5 mins left in the third, Spurs won 120-108. Spurs outscored them 53-26 over the final 17 minutes.

 

[TBdog]

Blazer fans are frustrating. They blaming only the refs. This was a pretty well reffed game. Game 2 was atrocious for both teams.

 

[Robz4000]

Harper is gonna go for his career-high tonight.
You heard it here first.

Solid prediction tbh

 

[The Ballsbreakers]

Solid prediction tbh

You know me, I'm like Quasimodo when it comes to these things.

 

[Robz4000]

Blazer fans are frustrating. They blaming only the refs. This was a pretty well reffed game. Game 2 was atrocious for both teams.

We'd be blaming the refs too if the Spurs had lost tbh. The calls Deni Avdija gets are comical.

 

[LeBowen]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2047905114988376091

 

[Paramore]

on to Game Four !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Biggems]

Shit, we won? I fell asleep in the 3rd when we were down 10. I just woke up and figured we lost the game.

What a comeback. Hell yeah.

 

[OK Computer]

Way too early. If you were around for previous Spurs playoff runs that went all the way, you gotta take it one game at a time and with a win like this, you gotta forget about it quickly. The team can celebrate a little tonight, but gotta forget about this game by morning and focus in on the next one. That is how it all all through the playoffs.

Looking to the next round this early is McGrady type stuff. Loser stuff. Like when he said he'd never been to the second round when up 3-1 and then they lost the series. The guy only got past the first round because he was with the Spurs late in his career.


Alright, I'll relent a bit a give him props. I said earlier the young guys bailed him out, but I guess he had to play them for them to do it . So yeah, I'll give him props for sticking with them when he could have easily reverted.


Some of you guys did say that winning a game without Wemby could be huge for the team. Props to those that believed. I thought we could, but I also thought it'd be hard as h%ll, and it was.


Yeah, like Paramore said, it was sort of a decoy point forward. I'd agree with what Paramore said. I do believe Carter can play that role sometime in the future, but tonight, it was strategic, so I should also give Mitch props for that too.


Which play was this? I thought the ball was off of Portland's player?

Breh, you’re acting like CB was out there playing like Magic Johnson. All he did was walk it up and dribble the ball at a standstiil near the logo . He’s got a long way to go before I can call him a point anything.

 

[Sec24Row7]

Nah, he did his shit talking to the crowd who had been on him and he did it all after end of plays or timeouts. Scoot hasn’t shut the fuck up since he hit his first shot in Game 1.

Oh he did that too. lol... Its just the way the kid is. He's been Jawing at Scoot since game 1.

 

[Exstatic]

Blazer fans are frustrating. They blaming only the refs. This was a pretty well reffed game. Game 2 was atrocious for both teams.

How many fucking FTs do they want the refs to give Deni? I mean,he shot SIXTEEN FUCKING FTs. They showed a graphic in the 4th where he was like 2-15 on plays where he didn’t draw a foul. Look to that, Blazer Fans.

 

[LeBowen]

 

[SanAnSpursFan21]

Shit, we won? I fell asleep in the 3rd when we were down 10. I just woke up and figured we lost the game.

What a comeback. Hell yeah.

I just about did what you did, but our guys are like 10-0 when I give up on em so I had no choice but to stay awake

 

[ginobilized]

Definitely a case of 2 young teams figuring it out. Spurs looked sluggish in the 1st half, while the Blazers had it going. I did wonder if PDX was trying to win the game in the first half. The small ball lineup really confused them and having CB matched up with RWIII allowed us to bring the ball up without the hounding pressure that was making it harder to get into our offense. That was a brilliant move. The fact that Portland stayed with that lineup and got a couple of lobs was Fool's Gold and a real error in strategy for them. We were able to get into our offense much more easily. Asking a rookie to play center and initiate the offense in a playoff game on the road without your superstar iis a big ask. CB came through and I was thrilled to see it.

Harper, what can I say? I felt like he had some really great regular season moments, but, never felt like he really broke out. Well, things have changed. Harper's cockiness vs Scoot and Camara was to be admired, too. It could be argued that the tech on Scoot was the real turning point and where Portland lost the game. Rage-baited by a rookie. Harper's D is so stout too. He and Castle are going to be a nightmare for as long as they are here and healthy.

Thrilling win and a great test for our youngsters. The chess match has begun between the coaches. Avdija has been very inefficient, btw. Probably has something to do with our defense.

 

[Wemby_Island]

Have not looked through the game thread but what is the verdict on Stephon Castle. He had the most points, but the worst plusminus. He was efficient last night, so that is good but
without him the offense is just in a better flow. So if I contribute a team win to a player, its more Harper than Castle.

Overall just glad we won the game. I jumped of the cliff several times so I cannot imagine how the game thread was going

Coaches need to get in his ear more. When he’s running the offense, things get really stagnant because he’s not involving the perimeter players enough.

To his credit, his shooting has improved a lot compared to last year. He can hit threes and knock down mid-range jumpers. But he still doesn’t have the natural ability to break defenders down and get easy looks at the rim. When his O break at rim its automatic fast break off TO or block at rim for opposing team.

I honestly think he’d be much more effective as an off-ball, catch-and-shoot option, with Fox or Harper handling playmaking duties. There’s a reason he was on the bench for an extended stretch late in the third and early in the fourth—right when we went on a run.

When he’s running the offense, every possession feels like a grind. Nothing comes easy or fluid like it does with Harper or Fox in control. On top of that, it’s probably not sustainable for him physically—constantly forcing drives into multiple defenders, hitting the floor every play, and putting himself at risk for injury.

 

[ginobilized]

Coaches need to get in his ear more. When he’s running the offense, things get really stagnant because he’s not involving the perimeter players enough.

To his credit, his shooting has improved a lot compared to last year. He can hit threes and knock down mid-range jumpers. But he still doesn’t have the natural ability to break defenders down and get easy looks at the rim. When his O break at rim its automatic fast break off TO or block at rim for opposing team.

I honestly think he’d be much more effective as an off-ball, catch-and-shoot option, with Fox or Harper handling playmaking duties. There’s a reason he was on the bench for an extended stretch late in the third and early in the fourth—right when we went on a run.

When he’s running the offense, every possession feels like a grind. Nothing comes easy or fluid like it does with Harper or Fox in control. On top of that, it’s probably not sustainable for him physically—constantly forcing drives into multiple defenders, hitting the floor every play, and putting himself at risk for injury.

My argument here would be that without Castle's 1st half points we would've been in a deeper hole in the first half. The ball pressure from Portland made things really hard with Camara and Holiday especially. We were struggling and Castle kept us in the game is the other side of the coin. I did love how he re-entered after the small ball devastation. He came in and was the closer in the 4th and did that very efficiently to seal the win.

 

[STAT88]

Deni with 19 points off 3 made field goals is disgusting.

 

[mudyez]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2047905114988376091

Thats dangerous! If Wemby fails protocol now, I blame Harper.

 

[Ice009]

Breh, you’re acting like CB was out there playing like Magic Johnson. All he did was walk it up and dribble the ball at a standstiil near the logo . He’s got a long way to go before I can call him a point anything.

It's just an opinion that I think he's capable (I'm talking about years from now) because of how much he works on his game. I'm also not saying he'll be elite at it, but I think he'll be able to play some point forward down the line in his career.
Maybe I should have been more clear on tonight as he wasn't playing PF, just being a decoy by bringing it up like a PF might do and then passing it off before running a play, so like you said, not playing actually PF last night. Where did I say he was playing like Magic Johnson? I didn't say he was running the offense or anything like that. I was talking he might be capable sometime down the line to be able to do it for real. He constantly works on his handles in those TGW sessions. Kawhi was able to develop into one, so I don't see why Carter can't at least get to 1/3 of the way there to where Kawhi got to.