San Antonio’s rising stars are proving they can handle the spotlight, even when their franchise player Victor Wembanyama remains sidelined.
Without the towering Spurs sensation available for action, sophomore guard Stephon Castle exploded for 33 points while first-year player Dylan Harper contributed a personal-best 27 points plus 10 rebounds during Friday’s 120-108 triumph over Portland, giving San Antonio a 2-1 advantage in their series.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors while averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game, suffered a head injury during the opening half of Game 2 and couldn’t continue. Portland capitalized on his absence to claim a 106-103 home victory in San Antonio.
Although Wembanyama made the trip to Portland with hopes of returning to action, head coach Mitch Johnson declared before tipoff that while his star was making progress, he remained unavailable for competition.
As it happened, San Antonio managed just fine without him. Portland built a commanding 15-point advantage during the third period before Castle and Harper seized control while the Trail Blazers fell apart.
Whether Wembanyama will be cleared for Sunday’s contest remains uncertain.
Harper contributed 22 of his points after halftime. The 20-year-old, selected second overall in last summer’s NBA draft, became just the second-youngest player in league history to record 20-plus points coming off the bench during postseason play. Only 18-year-old Kobe Bryant was younger when he accomplished the feat.
“When I came in the game, my biggest focus was just not trying to get it all at once and just try to be that energy guy that came in and played hard,” Harper explained. “Once I started doing that, I think the game kind of just opened up.”
Game 4 Details: 3:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN
Current Series Standing: Spurs ahead 2-1
Vegas Line: Spurs favored by 5.5 points
Key Information: Luke Kornet stepped into Wembanyama’s role with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Head coach Mitch Johnson would only confirm that Wembanyama continues improving but declined to discuss his availability for Sunday’s matchup.
Celtics vs. 76ers – Game 4: 7 p.m. EDT on Prime Video
Series Status: Boston leads 2-1
Spread: Celtics by 7.5
Storylines: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each contributed 25 points as Boston defeated Philadelphia in Game 3 to regain home-court advantage. Tyrese Maxey, earning his first All-Star starting selection this season, continues shouldering the offensive load for the Sixers while Joel Embiid remains recovering from appendix surgery. Embiid, marked as doubtful, participated in solo court work Saturday. Head coach Nick Nurse indicated he expects more clarity on Embiid’s potential return following Sunday’s pregame warmups. VJ Edgecombe recorded his second series double-double but struggled from beyond the arc, missing all seven three-point attempts. Boston has dominated from long range, connecting on 16 threes in Game 1 and hitting 20 of 47 attempts in Game 3.
Lakers vs. Rockets – Game 4: 9:30 p.m. EDT on NBC Peacock
Series Situation: Los Angeles leads 3-0
Betting Line: Houston favored by 8.5
Key Notes: Houston’s Kevin Durant was absent from the Rockets’ 112-108 overtime defeat to Los Angeles on Friday, which placed them on the brink of elimination trailing 3-0. Durant also missed the series opener due to knee problems and carries a questionable designation for Sunday’s must-win game. The timeless LeBron James delivered 29 points, including a clutch three-pointer with 13 seconds remaining in regulation for the Lakers, who erased a six-point deficit in the final 30 seconds to force overtime. Los Angeles is playing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, forcing the 41-year-old James to shoulder additional responsibility and log over 45 minutes Friday evening.
Cavaliers vs. Raptors – Game 4: 1 p.m. EDT on ESPN
Series Update: Cleveland ahead 2-1
Point Spread: Cavaliers by 3.5
What’s Happening: Following consecutive losses to start the series, Toronto returned to Canadian soil and received outstanding performances from Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett in a dominant 126-104 victory that cut their deficit to 2-1. Both Barnes and Barrett scored 33 points, establishing new postseason career highs. The Raptors overwhelmed Cleveland 43-23 in the final quarter. The victory ended the Cavaliers’ 12-game playoff winning streak against Toronto. However, the Raptors received disappointing news Friday when starting guard Immanuel Quickley was declared unavailable for the remainder of the opening round due to complications in his hamstring injury rehabilitation.
