Dylan Harper's Hot Streak and Mitch Johnson's Lineup Promise Rekindle Spurs' Hopes
Dylan Harper produced another solid outing off the bench, and Coach Mitch Johnson's recent comment that the team’s three dynamic ball handlers can play together has revived hopes for the lineup fans have wanted to see all season. The combination of Harper's on-court form and the coach's endorsement gives San Antonio a clearer path for how those pieces might fit.
Dylan Harper: Strong effort off bench
Harper scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, added five rebounds and five assists in San Antonio's 139-122 win over Sacramento on Saturday night. That game marked his fifth straight appearance in double figures and his eighth time reaching double digits in the last nine games. Over that recent stretch, Harper has averaged 14. 3 points, 3. 8 rebounds and 4. 1 assists, a run that has pushed him back onto fantasy radars and into a larger conversation about his role with the team.
The stat line underscores a multi-faceted bench contribution: efficient scoring inside the arc, rebound work and playmaking. Ownership in fantasy circles sits at roughly one-quarter of leagues, reflecting a view that Harper's hot streak has tangible value for both real games and fantasy lineups.
Mitch Johnson revives hopes for the lineup fans have wanted to see all season
San Antonio's coaching staff and fan base have long wondered whether the trio of Harper, Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox could share meaningful minutes together. Coach Mitch Johnson, in his first year, has acknowledged the question about that combination and directly addressed it; he confirmed that those three can play together and indicated they will. Johnson also noted that revolving rotations driven by injuries have affected opportunities for that lineup to appear more often.
The coach pushed back on concerns about shooting balance for the group, signaling no worry over the lack of long-range marksmen in that specific mix. That assessment restores hope that a lineup featuring multiple downhill playmakers could be deployed more frequently down the stretch, provided the rotation stabilizes and health permits extended minutes for all three.
What this means for the short term
Two threads converge: Harper’s sustained production off the bench and Johnson’s public commitment to the trio playing together. In the immediate term, Harper’s recent scoring and all-around box score impact make him an attractive option to insert into higher-leverage lineups if the coach follows through. The coach’s comment that injuries and a revolving rotation have been factors suggests the timing of increased minutes for that three-man group will hinge on roster availability and lineup experimentation.
For fans, the news restores optimism that the team’s rim-attacking, downhill style could be showcased more often. For fantasy managers, Harper’s stretch of games with double-digit scoring and steady assist and rebound numbers supports the argument that he is a player to monitor or add while the hot streak continues.
Forward look: what to watch
- Rotation stability: whether the coaching staff can reduce turnover in the rotation and find windows to run the three-ball-handler lineup together.
- Minute allocation: if Harper’s recent form leads to expanded bench or even starter-level minutes when the trio shares the floor.
- Health updates: injuries have been named as a cause for the previous lack of shared minutes, so availability will determine how quickly this plan is tested in real-game scenarios.
Recent developments indicate a clear willingness from the coaching staff to try the alignment fans have wanted to see, while Harper’s push makes a stronger case for his involvement when those opportunities arise. Details may evolve as the rotation settles and availability changes.
