Spurs Overcome Wembanyama's Absence to Beat Blazers; Lead Series 2-1
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 120-108 in Game 3 of the NBA playoffs, despite missing star Victor Wembanyama. Stephon Castle scored 33 points to lead the team.
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- 📰 Published: April 25, 2026 at 15:38
- 🔍 Collected: April 25, 2026 at 16:01 (22 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 17:43 (1h 41m after Collected)
Portland, April 24 (AP) — San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle scored 33 points today, and rookie Dylan Harper added 27 points off the bench, leading the Spurs to a 120-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Spurs now lead the first-round playoff series 2-1, despite star Victor Wembanyama being sidelined. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson announced before the game that Wembanyama remained out for Game 3 as he recovers from a concussion sustained in Game 2. This was the Blazers' first home playoff game since 2021, but they failed to take advantage of Wembanyama's absence. The Blazers once led by 15 points (82-67) in the third quarter, but the Spurs responded with a 21-5 run to lead 88-87 going into the fourth. Castle's clutch shots and free throws pushed the lead to 105-95. Dylan Harper finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds. At age 20, he became the second-youngest player in playoff history to score 20+ points off the bench, trailing only Kobe Bryant (18). Teammates De'Aaron Fox added 18 points, while Luke Kornet had 14 points and 10 rebounds. For the Blazers, Jrue Holiday scored a team-high 29 points, followed by Scoot Henderson with 21. Game 4 will be held in Portland on the 26th.