Trail Blazers did Carter Bryant a massive favor he can't repay

Were you not entertained? Carter Bryant has solidified himself as a reliable role player with extreme upside, and what do you do with young guys like that on the brink of the postseason? You play them. Mitch Johnson left no doubt in the minds of Spurs Nation that they can expect to see the explosive young wing out of Arizona in his playoff rotation, and we should thank Portland for helping out.

Clearly, Bryant's growth didn't happen in one game, nor did it happen overnight, but the Trail Blazers' game plan last night allowed CB to get going early. The visiting team dared him to shoot, leaving him wide open, so he cashed in. After the first one went down, the 14th overall pick kept taking advantage of the generous ATM machine Portland calls their defense.

The Arizona alum dropped 17 points on 6/9 shooting and 5/6 from deep. He was always in the right place at the right time, and his defense continues to be as menacing as Thanos with or without his gauntlet. With only two games remaining in the regular season, the revelation couldn't come at a better time.

Bryant will give Mitch Johnson a deeper playoff bench than most

Every postseason, coaches shorten their rotations. They want to play their best players as long as possible. It's been a tried and true strategy for as long as basketball has been played at a professional level. The reality is that, while all players who make it to the Association are the best in the world, there are still levels to elite hoops, and not everyone can reach those heights.

However, the evolution of the sport has led to more guys who can truly contribute in high-stakes moments. Not every coach has caught up with that reality. Sometimes their particular roster isn't constructed well enough to go that deep into their bench, but others are, but they're used to the old ways. Mitch Johnson is a new-age leader embracing the strength of his team.

Playing CB will give San Antonio a rotation going 10-deep. That was one of the keys to the Indiana Pacers' run last postseason. Rick Carlisle continued to deploy his guys in waves just as he did in the regular season. Because of that, they never truly tired and were relentless from start to finish of every ball game.

Star players will be on the floor longer with most teams, but they'll get fatigued. Meanwhile, expect the Spurs to rely on their depth. Dylan Harper, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet, and Carter Bryant are going to make their presence felt. Then we'll see who has the energy and fortitude to withstand San Antonio's onslaught.