Dylan Harper was one of the first players celebrating in the San Antonio Spurs locker room Monday night, even after enduring his worst shooting performance of the NBA Finals. The rookie guard struggled from long range against the New York Knicks, but San Antonio's 115-111 victory left him in no mood to dwell on missed shots.
Harper finished 1-for-8 from three-point range as the Spurs picked up their first win of the series at Madison Square Garden. While the stat line showed a difficult night from deep, Harper made it clear afterward that his confidence remains unchanged.
"I'm never gonna shoot that again. They all felt good coming out of my hands, they just didn't go in today," Harper said.
Dylan Harper on shooting 1-of-8 from three:
"I'm never gonna shoot that again. They all felt good coming out of my hands, they just didn't go in today."
13 PTS (28% FG) | 9 REB | 4 AST | 0 TOpic.twitter.com/qoNcaTVzxi https://t.co/znmK2t5OeV
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The response reflected the mindset that has earned Harper significant minutes throughout San Antonio's playoff run. Rather than focusing on the result of each shot, the 19-year-old focused on the quality of the opportunities he received. From his perspective, the process was right even if the ball refused to cooperate.
That approach mattered because the Spurs needed contributions beyond scoring. Harper finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes off the bench.
Even with his three-point shot missing, he continued attacking the basket, helped on the glass and provided another playmaking option alongside Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
Those contributions became increasingly important as the game tightened in the second half. New York repeatedly threatened to pull away behind Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, but San Antonio answered each run and eventually closed out the victory.
Wembanyama led the Spurs with 32 points, while Castle added 23 in a game that prevented the franchise from falling into a 3-0 series deficit.
The win changed the outlook of the Finals. Instead of facing near-impossible odds, the Spurs now trail the series 2-1 with another game scheduled at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
Harper's shooting numbers will draw attention because of the stage and the stakes. His postgame comments suggested he has already moved on.
San Antonio has trusted him to take those shots all season, and nothing about one cold night appears likely to change that heading into Game 4.
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