Spurs’ Dylan Harper Joins Kobe Bryant in Rare Playoff Feat During Game 3 Win

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-108 on April 24, 2026. This win gave San Antonio a 2-1 series lead. They won even though their star player, Victor Wembanyama, missed the game with a concussion. 

After the game, Harper said via ESPN, “I play a role I’m not used to [off the bench], but he kind of put in my head that you’ve got to impact the game in any way you can.”

Harper came off the bench to score 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. He recorded a game-high plus-25 rating and a playoff career-high with a 27.2 game score.

Harper is now the youngest player ever to score 25 or more points off the bench in a playoff game. He is also the first rookie in league history to record 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 made threes as a reserve. 

This historic game is the result of a foundation Harper built during the regular season.

How Dylan Harper Built His Game Before the Playoffs

During the 2025-26 regular season, the guard averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. He accepted his role off the bench and made the most of his minutes.

He posted an elite 2.76 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranked best among rookies. His playoff performance has grown with every single game.

He scored six points in Game 1 and followed that up with 10 points in Game 2. By Game 3, he bagged 27 points, averaging 14.3 points in the postseason. 

With a 2-1 lead and history on their side, the Spurs head to Portland for Game 4 on Sunday at 12:30 PM Pacific.

Do you think this young Spurs core can make a deep playoff run this year?