Dylan Harper scores a playoff career-high 27 factors, together with 22 in the second half, of the Spurs Game 3 victory.
The Portland Trail Blazers don’t have a lot time to mull their Game 3 dwelling loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Game 4 is an early afternoon begin Sunday in Portland, lower than 48 hours after the Spurs took a 2-1 series lead with a 120-108 victory Friday night time.
San Antonio gained with out center-forward Victor Wembanyama — who received medical clearance to play for Game 4 after sustaining a concussion in Game 2 and missed Game 3 — whereas San Antonio burrowed by means of a 15-point second-half deficit thanks to spectacular scoring from 20-year-old rookie guard Dylan Harper (27 factors) and 21-year-old second-year guard Stephon Castle (33 factors).
Will the Spurs take a 3-1 collection lead on Sunday (3:30 ET, ESPN)? Will the Blazers tie the collection?
Here are three things to watch in Game 4:
1. How a lot will Wembanyama play in Game 4?
In a bit of excellent information introduced lower than an hour earlier than Game 4, Wembanyama was given the OK to play after lacking Game 3. How a lot he’ll play in Game 4 — he was restricted to 11 minutes in Game 2 — is a little bit of an unknown because the Spurs could not need to overload his minutes in his return.
Wembanyama, the Kia Defensive Player of the Year and considered one of three finalists Kia MVP this season, (*3*) for factors in a playoff debut with 35 in San Antonio’s Game 1 victory.
The Spurs await his return with persistence. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated Wembanyama is progressing however wouldn’t speculate on his availability, citing the detailed return-to-play course of.
2. Blazers should keep away from a letdown
Portland led 82-67 with 5:09 remaining in the third quarter. With 5:48 to go in the fourth, San Antonio owned a 108-96 lead. During that stretch, Portland was 6-for-23 from the sphere, missed its six 3-point makes an attempt, Deni Avdija was 0-for-4, Jrue Holiday — who in any other case had a terrific sport with 29 factors, six rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals — was 1-for-4 and Jerami Grant was 0-for-3.
The Trail Blazers couldn’t do a lot to sluggish the Spurs, who shot 13-for-19 from the sphere and 7-for-9 on 3-pointers. Harper scored 20 factors throughout that run, and 20-year-old rookie Carter Bryant was on the court docket for the complete stretch, contributing offensively and defensively. He completed with an impactful three factors, six rebounds, 4 assists and three blocks.
The second duo (Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook) in NBA historical past, age 21 or youthful, to every rating 25+ factors in the identical playoff sport. pic.twitter.com/4xbaEYkQoa
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) (*4*)
Harper additionally had 10 rebounds, changing into the youngest guard to report a double-double in a playoff sport. Per the Spurs, Harper was the primary rookie with not less than 25 factors and 10 rebounds off the bench in a playoff sport since 1987. Harper and Castle additionally joined Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the one duos in NBA historical past, age 21 or youthful, to rating 25 or extra factors in the identical playoff sport.
3. Can Avdija produce extra offensively?
After scoring 30 factors in Game 1, Trail Blazers All-Star Deni Avdija had 14 factors in Game 2 and 19 factors in Game 3. Of these 19 factors, 12 got here on free throws, and he was 3-for-15 from the sphere and scored eight factors in the second half and three in the fourth quarter.
The Spurs have made taking pictures tough for him, particularly in the paint, the place Luke Kornet was ready to alter Avdija’s photographs on the rim. Avdija was 2-for-10 on photographs in the paint as San Antonio performed a bodily sport and used a number of defenders on him.
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Jeff Zillgitt has lined the NBA since 2008. You can e-mail him at jzillgitt@nba.com, discover his archive here and follow him on X.
