Carter Bryant gets credit for wearing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Mitch Johnson explains what makes rookie special

Carter Bryant and the San Antonio Spurs handed the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, a loss in Game 6 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals. Bryant helped set the tone early, as he is determined to show his potential on the big stage.

Bryant logged only four minutes in the first half on Thursday night, but he still made a noticeable impact. Stephon Castle had high praise for him after the game.

"For him to be a rookie and come in and there's no dropoff defensively,” Castle said. “That alone says a lot. For him to come in and give us a breather and defensive rebound for us and try to make minimal mistakes is big because we need those minutes. In the playoffs, every possession matters. So, when he's doing that and making it tough on (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and tiring him out, in the long run, it definitely helps."

After missing his first three-point attempt, Bryant quickly responded on the next possession by taking a transition pass from Castle, attacking the rim, and throwing down a powerful dunk through three Thunder defenders to push the Spurs’ lead to 12 with under three minutes remaining. He made his presence felt again by battling for a rebound and colliding with Gilgeous-Alexander.

Bryant ended the first half with 2 points, 1 rebound, and 2 fouls in four minutes of action, while also adding 3 more minutes and grabbed 3 rebounds in the second half.

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said Bryant has been one of the most coachable players on the roster, saying that the rookie sometimes overthinks things while trying to make the right play.

"When he plays free and allows his instincts to follow his athleticism and aggressiveness, good things happen,” Johnson said. “And when he can be disciplined a little bit on top of it, it's fun to watch."

Bryant will aim to keep that momentum going as the Spurs head into Game 7 against the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Saturday.

More NBA news: 

• The Thunder have been called for more fouls than the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals
• Dylan Harper saw Victor Wembanyama’s pregame fit and knew Thunder were in trouble
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's struggles explained by head coach Mark Daigneault
• We now know what Victor Wembanyama told Mason Plumlee in a viral Game 5 clip
• Tyrese Haliburton admits that coaches are instructing their players how to flop