Spurs Notes: Harper, Castle, Bryant, Johnson, Kornet
With Victor Wembanyama out due to a concussion, the Spurs needed their other young players to step up against the Trail Blazers, and in Game 3 on Friday, and that’s exactly what happened.
Dylan Harper came off the bench to score 27 points, and he credited Spurs legend Manu Ginobili for helping him be ready for the moment, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. Harper became the youngest player ever to score 25 or more points off the bench in a playoff game. And with his 10 rebounds, he also became the youngest guard in league history with a playoff double-double, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
“It was a moment I’ve been waiting for since I was a little kid,” Harper said. “This is the biggest stage of basketball you could ever get to.”
Stephon Castle also played a major role in the victory, scoring a game-high 33 points along with five assists. He and Harper became the first 21-and-under duo to each have 25 or more points in a playoff game since Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in 2010.
We have more notes from the Spurs:
- While Harper and Castle stole the show, rookie Carter Bryant was crucial to the victory as well, according to McDonald. “Obviously Dylan’s box score is loud,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “But I think Carter’s game was probably just as loud.” Functioning as a small-ball center, Bryant was passing up shots and hurting the team’s offense until he hit a step-back three in the third quarter. He then proceeded to shut down Blazers star Deni Avdija for the next 10 minutes, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “As much as I work on my game, for the other team, it’s demoralizing when I hit a shot like that,” Bryant said. “Just understanding what the game of basketball is. Like, they’re living with me shooting that shot. Clock is winding down, (I) look up, there’s three seconds on the shot clock. Shoot it. Let the ball fly. (I) work too hard not to trust it.”
- As Weiss notes, Spurs rookies Bryant and Harper have a long-standing friendship that dates back to their AAU days. “I told him once he hit that step-back three: I’m like, ‘Yo, this is time for you to turn it up a notch. You’ve been waiting for this,'” Harper said. ‘”Me and you always wanted to play with each other, even in college. Now, we got the opportunity to flip this game.'”
- Recently crowned Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson has struggled with his offense in the series, having not hit double-digit scoring in any of the three games. He’s confident it’s just a matter of time until he gets back to playing his game, Tom Orsborn writes for the San Antonio-Express News. “Every game is different when it comes to the playoffs, and I’m just feeling out the game and trying to find my rhythm, trying to find my groove and my niche and just continue to play hard,” Johnson said. “As long as we’re winning, that’s the most important thing. I’ll find my rhythm (offensively) as we go throughout. I’ll continue to take the same shots and I’ll make the shots.”
- Luke Kornet has been a reliable option every time the Spurs have needed him to fill in for Wembanyama, and Friday was no exception. Kornet matched or set career playoff highs in points (14), rebounds (10), assists (two), and minutes played (30) while adding a pair of blocks and knocking down his first three-pointer in two years, per Orsborn. “It’s fun to shoot one. Fun to make it. Fun to get the win,” Kornet said. No one on the team was surprised that the big man was able to provide such a spark when called upon. “I feel like he’s been consistent for us all year,” said Johnson. “Whenever we’ve been shorthanded or Vic hasn’t been able to play, he stepped up and filled that role, field that void. He’s been tremendous for us.”
Injury Notes: Wemby, Castle, Nuggets, Bulls, Tyson, Barrett
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has been upgraded from questionable to available for Friday’s game vs. Dallas, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
Orsborn’s colleague Jeff McDonald wrote on Thursday that San Antonio was privately optimistic that Wembanyama would be active Friday. The third-year center needs to play at least 20 minutes against the Mavs to qualify for major postseason awards. He left Monday’s game early due to a left rib contusion, an injury which sidelined him for Wednesday’s win over Portland.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, who also missed Wednesday’s game, will be out again Friday, Orsborn adds. Head coach Mitch Johnson said Castle is dealing with multiple nagging injuries; he was listed as having right knee soreness two days ago, while Friday’s designation is left foot soreness.
“Eighty games and the way he plays. It’s real. We’re not just sitting him just to sit him,” Johnson said.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Nuggets will be playing without all five of their normal starters on Friday against Oklahoma City, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post tweets. All five players (Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson) had previously been listed as questionable. Jokic sitting out means he’ll need to play at least 15 minutes in Sunday’s finale at San Antonio to be eligible for year-end awards.
- After missing three games with an illness, Bulls forward Matas Buzelis will return to action for Friday’s penultimate game vs. Orlando, according to Will Gottlieb of CHGO Bulls (Twitter link). Isaac Okoro (left quad contusion) will be out Friday but there’s a chance he could return for Sunday’s finale vs. Dallas, while Josh Giddey (left hamstring strain injury management), Guerschon Yabusele (left shoulder and left elbow sprains), Nick Richards (right elbow sprain) and Anfernee Simons (left wrist fracture) will miss the final two games of Chicago’s season.
- Jaylon Tyson is in the Cavaliers‘ starting lineup on Friday, tweets Danny Cunningham of Locked on Cavs. The second-year wing has missed Cleveland’s past 10 games due to a left great toe bone bruise. Tyson is starting in place of Donovan Mitchell, who is out with what the team calls right ankle injury management.
- Raptors wing RJ Barrett was a late scratch ahead of Friday’s contest vs. New York, as Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca relays (via Twitter). Barrett is dealing with right knee soreness. It’s the second night of a back-to-back for Toronto, which will also be without Immanuel Quickley and Collin Murray-Boyles. The Raptors can clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Knicks.
Injury Notes: Wolves, Wizards, Spurs, Cavs, Quickley
After clinching a playoff spot on Tuesday in Indiana, the Timberwolves will hold some regulars out on the second night of a back-to-back set on Wednesday in Orlando. According to the team (Twitter link), Julius Randle (right hand soreness), Ayo Dosunmu (right calf injury maintenance), and Mike Conley (rest) are all out, while Rudy Gobert (rest) is considered questionable to play.
Star guard Anthony Edwards, who has missed nine of Minnesota’s past 11 games due to patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) and an illness, will also sit out again as the team prioritizes getting him as healthy as possible for the playoffs. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic suggested earlier this week that the Wolves may want Edwards to play a game or two at the end of the regular season before he gets another week off ahead of Game 1 of the first round.
The most notable Timberwolves injury update affects forward Jaden McDaniels, who has been on the shelf since March 25 due to left knee patella tendinopathy. According to a press release, McDaniels has been cleared for full-contact, 5-on-5 work and has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. Orlando. Even if the 25-year-old isn’t upgraded to available tonight, it sounds like he’ll make his return before the regular season ends.
Here are more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Unsurprisingly, Wizards big man Anthony Davis and point guard Trae Young aren’t expected to play again this season, head coach Brian Keefe said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network). Davis, who has yet to make his Wizards debut, has been ramping up his work in recent weeks as he recovers from a hand injury, but will run out of time to return this spring. As for Young (low back pain; right quad contusion), he’s not as far along is his recovery process as Davis.
- The Spurs have ruled out Victor Wembanyama (left rib contusion) and Stephon Castle (right knee soreness) for Wednesday’s matchup with Portland, but they’re optimistic about both players’ chances of playing on Friday vs. Dallas, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). Wembanyama will need to play at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s final two games of the season in order to qualify for end-of-season awards, including MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.
- Cavaliers wing Jaylon Tyson, out since March 19 with a left great toe bone bruise, went through Wednesday’s shootaround and then conducted an individual workout with coaches and trainers, but his toe was still bothering him and he has been downgraded to doubtful for Wednesday’s contest against Atlanta, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Cavs forward Dean Wade, who has been sidelined since March 24 due to a right ankle sprain, has a better chance of making his return tonight — he’s listed as questionable.
- Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley played nearly 18 minutes in Tuesday’s win over Miami after missing the previous eight games due to plantar fasciitis. According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link), Quickley said he has been battling an issue “a little bit deeper than just plantar fasciitis” that flared up in February, and while the time off helped, he recognizes that he’s still not 100%.
And-Ones: All-Defense, G League Playoffs, Acuff, Fertitta
Yahoo Sports contributor Nekias Duncan lists his picks for the two All-Defensive teams (as of March 27). Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo and Derrick White comprise Duncan’s first team, while Cason Wallace, Stephon Castle, Dyson Daniels, Scottie Barnes and Marcus Smart are on the second.
Duncan also cites nine honorable mentions who didn’t quite make the cut, including Evan Mobley, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year. Duncan says Ausar Thompson would replace Smart if he qualifies; the third-year forward needs to play at least 20 minutes in seven of Detroit’s last eight games to be eligible (Smart may not qualify either due to the requirements of the 65-game rule).
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The 16-team field and schedule for the NBA G League playoffs has been set, the league announced in a press release. The Osceola Magic (26-10) are the top seed in the Eastern Conference, while the South Bay Lakers (26-10) are the No. 1 seed in the West. The NBAGL playoffs feature a single-elimination tournament until the finals, which is best-of-three. Osceola and the Stockton Kings (23-13, the third seed in the West) faced off in last year’s finals, with Stockton winning the title.
- Darius Acuff Jr. is widely projected to be a top-nine pick in the upcoming draft and one NBA general manager recently told Marc J. Spears of Andscape he thinks the Arkansas guard is the third-best prospect in the 2026 class, behind BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and UNC’s Caleb Wilson. Razorbacks head coach John Calipari, who has coached numerous future NBA stars in college, says teams would be foolish to pass over Acuff, a first-team All-American as a freshman. “Pass on him, you’ll regret it,” Calipari told Andscape. “I said it about Tyrese (Maxey). I’ve said it about a bunch of guys. I said it about Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander): ‘You’re going to regret passing on this kid.’ And I know there are other good players, but this kid (Acuff) is unique.”
- Rockets owner Tillman Fertitta and his family have reached an agreement to purchase the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and relocate the team to Houston, confirms Alexa Philippou of ESPN. Chris Baldwin of PaperCity Magazine first reported the news. The plan is for the Sun to finish 2026 in Connecticut before relocating in 2027. The Fertitta family is spending $300MM to buy the team, which is expected to be called the Comets. The Houston Comets were a WNBA team from 1997-2008.
Spurs Notes: Castle, K. Johnson, Fox, Kornet, Wembanyama
Coach Mitch Johnson made sure Stephon Castle got the chance to pick up his fourth triple-double of the season in Saturday’s win at Milwaukee, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).
With the Spurs leading by 32 points midway through the fourth quarter, Johnson observed that Castle was one rebound short of reaching the mark. After being reinserted into the game, it only took Castle 24 seconds to grab the extra board, and he was quickly pulled out after also posting 22 points and 10 assists in 29 minutes.
“I knew I needed one more before I got subbed out, so coach put me back in there,” Castle said.
Orsborn notes that the coaching staff has been urging Castle to improve his rebounding to add another dimension to his skills. He’s averaging 5.1 per game, up from his 3.7 mark as a rookie.
“If I can help our bigs rebound and start our break and keep our pace up, then I feel like it’s a plus,” he said.
There’s more on the Spurs:
- Keldon Johnson scored 16 points, recording his 50th double-digit game off the bench this season, Orsborn states in the same piece. Johnson, who’s a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year honors, is the only player in franchise history to accomplish that feat, having done it last season as well. He also tied a season high with five assists on Saturday.
- De’Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet returned to action after missing Wednesday’s game at Memphis with minor injuries, Orsborn adds. Both players logged 21 minutes against Milwaukee, with Fox posting 12 points and six assists and Kornet finishing with two points, one rebound and a steal.
- Victor Wembanyama is making good on the warning he issued to the rest of the basketball world after his French team had to settle for the silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, writes Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News. “I’m learning,” Wembanyama said at the time, “and I’m worried for the opponents in a couple of years.” He added that he was referring to players “everywhere,” not just in future Olympics. Wembanyama is living up to that statement in 2025/26, putting together an MVP-caliber season and stating his case for the award earlier this week.
Spurs Notes: Harper, Vassell, Castle, M. Johnson, Wemby
With Devin Vassell (sore right hamstring) a late scratch for precautionary reasons and Stephon Castle (right hip tightness) sidelined for the second consecutive time, Spurs guard Dylan Harper received the first start of his career in Saturday’s win over Indiana, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
Harper, last year’s No. 2 overall pick, overcame some pregame jitters to finish with 24 points (on 9-of-13 shooting), four rebounds, three assists and no turnovers in 28 minutes, Orsborn notes. Head coach Mitch Johnson praised Harper’s upside while pointing out that he committed four fouls and gave up a couple of backdoor layups to Andrew Nembhard.
“I think he can be sharper,” Johnson said. “I think he can continue to get in better shape. Those are nitpicking criticisms when you look at the production, but that’s how good he can be. … His upside and path is whatever he wants it to be. And I’m not trying to shine you on. I’m being dead serious. I just want him to be better at transition defense.”
As Orsborn observes, Harper almost certainly would have put up gaudier stats in his rookie season if he were playing on a lesser team, but Johnson and Harper’s teammates have praised the former Rutgers star for his maturity and willingness to accept a bench role for the betterment of the Spurs.
“We’re number two in the West,” said Harper, who turned 20 years old earlier this month. “To me, we’re the best team in the NBA. So for me to get drafted by an organization that’s so family oriented, I think any rookie would want to come here. From top to bottom, everyone is very professional and everyone is just so giving and so hands-on with everything.”
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Johnson said after the victory that the Spurs don’t have any “long-term” concerns about Vassell’s injury, adding that the team was just being “super mindful” in regards to the sixth-year wing’s health (Twitter link via Orsborn). Johnson also said the Spurs weren’t worried about Castle’s hip issue, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News, who says more players might get days off down the stretch in preparation for the playoffs.
- McDonald wonders if Keldon Johnson is being overlooked as a Sixth Man of the Year contender. The veteran forward had 24 points (on 10-of-12 shooting), four rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes on Saturday, and has led the team in scoring five times this season. Johnson also has not yet missed a game in 2025/26.
- In another story for The Express-News, McDonald takes a look at the relationship of Mitch Johnson and Victor Wembanyama, who is making a late push for MVP consideration with his elite two-way play. Johnson used to help Wembanyama warm up before each game, but ceded those duties before the season began after being promoted to the full-time head coach. “There’s a level of accountability I have to hold him to,” Johnson said. “When you get to know somebody and then hopefully build trust with that person, it allows you to work with them, partner with them, push them in ways that I think probably could be a little bit deeper than just a coach trying to talk to a player.”
Wembanyama, White Named Defensive Players Of The Month
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama has been named February’s Defensive Player of the Month for the Western Conference, while Celtics guard Derrick White has earned the honor for the Eastern Conference, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
Wembanyama, who is the betting favorite for this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, led the NBA in blocks per game (3.5) in February, increasing his league-best mark to 2.9 BPG. According to the NBA, he also ranked second in the Western Conference in defensive rebounds per game (9.3) as the Spurs enjoyed a perfect month (11-0).
San Antonio’s league-best +15.1 net rating in February was buoyed by a defensive rating of 106.2, which was the second-best mark in the league and ranked first among Western Conference teams. That rating improved to 100.0 during Wembanyama’s 323 minutes and dipped to 111.1 when he wasn’t on the floor.
Wembanyama was also named the West’s Defensive Player of the Month in January, so he’s the first repeat winner in either conference so far this season.
The Celtics were the only team with an overall defensive rating (105.5) better than the Spurs’ mark in February, and White was a crucial part of that effort. Despite standing just 6’4″, the veteran guard averaged 1.7 blocks per game for the month, which ranked third in the East. He also contested 75 shots, the highest total among guards, per the NBA.
As was the case with Wembanyama in San Antonio, the Celtics posted a defensive rating of just 100.0 when White was on the court in February.
Wembanya’s teammate Stephon Castle was among the other nominees for Defensive Player of the Month in the Western Conference, along with Clippers guard Kris Dunn, Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., and Thunder teammates Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace (Twitter link).
Heat big man Bam Adebayo, Knicks forward OG Anunoby, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson were nominated in the East.
And-Ones: Peterson, 2024 Draft, East Race, Yurtseven, Richardson
Controversy surrounding Darryn Peterson, who has been in and out of the Kansas lineup, won’t significantly impact his draft stock, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports in a subscriber-only story. A projected top-three pick who could be the first player off the board in June, Peterson has missed 11 games and departed early in some others.
“I don’t think Peterson — or (Cameron) Boozer or (AJ) Dybantsa — will play their way out of the top three,” former Sixers scout Michael VandeGarde told Lewis. “Those three guys are special. It’s probably ‘eye of the beholder.’ Peterson is spectacular.”
We have more from around the international basketball world:
- The 2024 draft class was projected to be a weak one and it has lived up to its billing, John Hollinger of The Athletic opines. He notes the Spurs’ Stephon Castle and Wizards’ Alex Sarr are the only draft picks that could be considered one of their team’s three best players. Donovan Clingan, Kel’el Ware, Jaylon Tyson and Ajay Mitchell are the only other draft picks who have established themselves as starting-caliber players.
- NBA executives generally believe the Eastern Conference is up for grabs once the playoffs begin despite the Pistons‘ gaudy record, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst report. One Eastern Conference GM said “six or seven” teams could emerge from the pack, as each contender has some flaws. Another unnamed executive believes there will be consequences for some contenders that come up short of the Eastern Finals. “There’s two to three teams that are going to have some real fallout if they don’t make the conference finals,” that team president said. “That’s the case every year, I know, but there’s not a lot of honeymoons going on in the East.”
- Former Heat and Jazz center Omer Yurtseven has departed Greece’s Panathinaikos BC, Sportando relays. Yurtseven had trouble establishing a meaningful role with the Greek club. In this EuroLeague season, Yurtseven averaged 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
- Veteran NBA wing Josh Richardson has parted ways with Spain’s Casademont Zaragoza, according to Eurohoops.net. A veteran of 10 NBA seasons with 584 appearances on six teams, including 30 playoff games, Richardson reached a mutual agreement with the Spanish club to terminate his contract. Signing on January 23, he averaged 9.6 points per contest across five appearances in the FIBA Europe Cup and Spain’s Liga Endesa.
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Bryant, Fox, Castle, CP3
Victor Wembanyama may be the future face of the NBA, but the Spurs center has garnered the respect and admiration of his coaches and teammates by always putting the team first, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
“I have never one time seen him put anything individually self-serving above the team in any way,” head coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s one of the 18 members of the team and he acts like that 100 percent of the time.”
Much like all-time Spurs greats David Robinson and Tim Duncan, Wembanyama is unusually modest for a star player and welcomes being coached hard when warranted, Orsborn notes.
“I want to be held accountable,” Wembanyama said. “I don’t want favors. I want the same treatment as everybody else.”
The 7’5″ center is inclusive by nature and supports of all of his teammates, per Orsborn, whether they’re key members of the rotation or at the end of the bench.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, he’s trying to embrace you, get everyone into the culture of the team from top to bottom,” said fourth-year wing Stanley Umude, who is on a two-way contract with San Antonio. “He’s all about winning. No ego stuff going on. With him it’s, ‘We’re all here with the same goal in mind and we’re just trying to get it done.’”
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- In an interesting feature story for The Athletic, Jared Weiss profiles rookie forward Carter Bryant, who is a grandchild of deaf adults (GODA). The 20-year-old grew up in a household that spoke American Sign Language (ASL); his mother is an interpreter, and his father coached the girls basketball team at the California School for the Deaf in Riverside (CSDR). Bryant also developed his defensive skills in an atypical way: playing pick-up games with deaf kids, with no verbal communication. “If I’m guarding the ball and I have four other people behind me, you kind of have no idea what’s going on,” Bryant told The Athletic. “So being able to check out your peripherals, use your feet and just have a sense of natural feel for the game, it’s different. We take it for granted as players, and we don’t use our other senses as much, but we don’t have to.”
- Star guard De’Aaron Fox has largely tried to lead by example since the Spurs traded for him last February, but he felt the team losing its competitive edge in Wednesday’s game against Golden State and he challenged the group to step up, according to Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News. “I just asked the guys, ‘Do we want to be the team that every (opponent) wants in the playoffs?’” Fox said. The game was tied entering the fourth quarter, but the Spurs responded to Fox’s remarks, defeating the shorthanded Warriors by 13 points. Fox was named an All-Star replacement later that evening, Finger adds.
- Second-year guard Stephon Castle credits former teammate Chris Paul for helping avoid him a sophomore slump after winning Rookie of the Year in 2024/25, per Orsborn. “What he showed me last year, I feel like it helped me this year,” Castle said of playing with the future Hall of Fame point guard last season. “He was a coach on the floor for us at all times, especially for me.” After being waived by the Raptors on Friday, Paul officially announced his retirement from the NBA.
VJ Edgecombe Named 2026 Rising Stars MVP
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe was named the 2026 Rising Stars MVP after closing out two straight wins for Team Vince en route to the Rising Stars championship.
In Game One between Team Melo and Team Austin’s G League rising stars, Dylan Harper (Spurs) hit the game-winning shot to get Team Melo to the target score of 40 points. Team Austin had the top two scorers in the game in Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Clippers) and Yang Hansen (Trail Blazers), but Team Melo’s balanced scoring attack, led by Reed Sheppard (Rockets) and Donovan Clingan (Blazers) with nine points each, was too much for the G League stars to contain.
In Game Two between Team Vince and Team T-Mac, Edgecombe exploded for 17 points, including the last 10 and the step-back game-winner over Cam Spencer (Grizzlies). Jaylon Tyson (Cavaliers) led Team T-Mac with 10 points and Tre Johnson (Wizards) added eight while facing off against teammate Kyshawn George. Team Vince came away with the 41-36 victory.
The Rising Stars championship game, with a target score of 25, kicked off with back-to-back Clingan three-pointers while Matas Buzelis (Bulls) carried Team Vince early with a one-handed dunk and a smooth post move. An Edgecombe rebound and putback brought the game to 23-22 for Team Vince, prompting a Team Melo timeout.
After a Stephon Castle (Spurs) putback dunk, Edgecombe was fouled by Clingan on a drive, heading to the free throw line, where he knocked down the game-winning free throws. Carter Bryant (Spurs) contributed five points while playing against his teammate Harper, who led Team Melo with eight points.
Kevin Durant, John Wall, Kyrie Irving, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, Jamal Murray, Cade Cunningham are among the future All-Stars who have won the Rising Stars MVP award over the past couple decades.