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San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle framed Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round series as a possession-by-possession battle after the team’s 120-108 win over the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center.
“I think every game is a different game,” Castle said. “You can’t look at how a team has been playing throughout the season because once you play a team a certain amount of times, you start to figure each other out.”
He emphasized playoff execution over momentum. “You just have to grind those games out. I feel like every possession matters,” he said.
Castle also highlighted the impact of San Antonio’s young core, pointing to a key third-quarter surge that flipped the game. “That third quarter stint was great on both ends,” he said. “I feel like it flipped the trajectory of the game.”
Dylan Harper’s performance drew strong praise after a 27-point, 10-rebound outing. “Dylan is super talented, played downhill all game, got to his spots,” Castle said. “We don’t expect nothing less from Dyl.”
He added context on Harper’s development and confidence level. “He was super confident. He wasn’t as goofy as he is now, he was a lot more serious, but I knew we were going to get it out of him eventually.”
Castle also credited Carter Bryant for his two-way impact that went beyond the box score. “Carter… I feel like he had probably just as much of an impact on the game with the way he was guarding, the way he was moving the ball on offense.”
He continued: “He made some big shots and got some big offensive rebounds. I feel like it flipped the trajectory of the game.”
San Antonio trailed by 15 points in the third quarter before tightening its defense and generating a decisive run. Castle said the group never wavered in its approach. “We just need to string some stops together and keep fighting.”
He also addressed the physical tone of the game, which included technical fouls and increased tension. “It’s playoff basketball, so emotions are high,” Castle said. “Both teams want to win. Our seasons are on the line.”
On maintaining composure, he pointed to quick resets between plays. “Once the tech is called or the foul is called, we can’t really do much about it. Just moving past it, trying to get to the next play.”
San Antonio improved its series position despite missing Victor Wembanyama, leaning on internal confidence. “We don’t really care what anybody else has to say outside of our locker room,” Castle said.
He closed with a direct reflection on the team’s identity after a late-game swing. “We have a lot of dogs that aren’t going to quit on our team. That’s what you saw tonight.”
Game 4 returns to Portland on Sunday, where the Spurs will look to build on a 2-1 series lead.
