How rookie Carter Bryant helped the Spurs hold the league MVP in check

Spurs rookie forward Carter Bryant had a hand in helping hold Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to just 15 points in Game 6, the fewest he’s scored in these playoffs and his lowest total in the postseason since he had 14 against Minnesota on May 24, 2025.

Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 20 or more points in an NBA-record 140 consecutive regular season games, but the Spurs have held him below 20 in two of the last three contests.

Bryant, 20, also ripped down four rebounds to help the Spurs win the battle of the boards 52-43.

“For him to be a rookie and come in and there’s no drop off defensively, that alone says a lot,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “For him to come in and give us a breather and defensive rebound for us and try and make minimal mistakes, it’s big because we need those minutes, and in the playoffs, every possession matters.

“So when he’s doing that and making it tough on (Gilgeous-Alexander), in the long run, it definitely helps.”

The 14th overall pick’s strong effort came after Spurs coach Mitch Johnson gave him a tongue lashing after he committed a turnover in the third quarter of the Spurs’ 103-82 victory in Game 4. 

“There’s much to do with what happened a couple of games ago, I know, in the visual of it,” Johnson said. “Carter has been as coachable as anybody. At times he probably is trying to do the right thing too much and that’s where at times the urgency and the competitiveness of myself comes out because I just want that kid to play fast and aggressive. He has as good of raw instincts (as anybody) and when he plays free and allows his instincts to follow his athleticism and aggressiveness, good things happen.

“And when he can be disciplined a little bit on top of it, it’s fun to watch.”

Sharpshooters join elite list: Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie finished Thursday night’s game with four and two 3-pointers, respectively, to become just the fourth and fifth players in Spurs history to amass 40-plus treys in a single playoff run.

The others are Manu Ginobili (twice), Michael Finley and Danny Green (twice).

Vassell and Champagnie are the first teammates to ever do it in the same postseason.

Vassell enters Game 7 on Saturday shooting 36.6% from deep (41 of 112) after going 4 of 7 en route to 12 points on Thursday night. Champagnie is shooting 37.4% (40 of 107) after connecting on 2 of 6 on his way to 10 points on Thursday night.