The San Antonio Spurs head into Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals with renewed confidence after their 115-111 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3, and rookie guard Dylan Harper believes the team’s chemistry and composure have been the driving forces behind their postseason success.
Speaking Tuesday ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup at Madison Square Garden, Harper addressed everything from hostile road environments to his shooting struggles and the Spurs’ belief that they can still capture the championship after falling behind 2-0 in the series.
One of the more notable moments from Harper’s press conference came when he discussed the reception he has received in his home state during the Finals.
“Well, I mean, this is my first time in New York walking out and getting booed. I can say that,” Harper said. “But I mean, it’s kind of been every series. I think OKC, we got booed a little bit. Not really much Minnesota and Portland, but I feel like it’s New York hostile environment and I mean I don’t think that it would feel the same if it wasn’t just hostile.”
The atmosphere has not appeared to bother San Antonio. The Spurs won Game 7 on the road against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals and followed that with a season-saving Game 3 victory in New York.
Asked why the team continues to thrive in difficult environments, Harper pointed to the group’s unity.
“I feel like we just stay together in environments like this,” Harper said. “The biggest thing when we come to away games in the playoffs, for us at least, has been just staying together and just holding each other accountable.”
He added: “With the level of desperation and desire that we played with last night, I feel like we’re pretty hard to beat when we do that.”
Harper also addressed his outside shooting, which has been inconsistent during the Finals despite his continued success attacking the basket.
“I feel like every night ain’t going to be a night,” Harper said. “Last night I couldn’t make a shot. That’s just the reality of the game.”
The guard made it clear that his confidence remains unchanged.
“I’m going to keep on shooting them because I feel like the confidence I have, the confidence the team has in me,” Harper said. “But no it’s just really taking the best shot for the team, not for myself.”
San Antonio’s rapid development as a contender has been one of the biggest stories of the season. While many championship teams spend years building continuity, Harper believes the Spurs accelerated that process through their relationships away from basketball.
“I feel like we hang out a lot. We hang out outside of basketball a lot as a team,” Harper said. “Do things like team dinner or we play games as a team.”
According to Harper, those moments helped create the chemistry necessary to navigate a Finals run.
“I feel like we have just as much chemistry and camaraderie and togetherness as anyone else,” he said.
Harper also praised Victor Wembanyama, who delivered 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists in Game 3 to earn his first NBA Finals victory.
“Yeah, he kind of just steps up to the moment all the time,” Harper said. “No matter what moment it is, where we’re at, what game it is, he’s always going to step up. That’s just the big time player he is.”
Despite trailing 2-1 in the series, Harper said the Spurs remain focused on their identity.
“I feel like biggest advantage, I think, we kind of understand who we are,” Harper said. “We understand what we need to do to win games in this type of environment.”
