Stephon

Castle

In just his second season, Castle has been so impressive, and this was one of his best performances of his first postseason. He seemingly injured his ankle in Game 2, but it was never expected to alter his status for this game, and it certainly didn’t hinder his performance. Castle had a strong outing, and he was able to seal the game with a pair of free throws to give the Spurs a four-point lead late. If the Spurs want to even the series in Game 4 on Thursday, Castle will need to continue to play at this level.

Castle appeared to injure his right leg during the second half of Game 2 on Friday. While he did exit the game shortly after the tweak, the second-year guard was back on the court in the fourth quarter as the Spurs rallied. Based on Castle’s comments on Sunday, he should be a full go for Game 3 as the Spurs look to cut the Knicks’ 2-0 lead in half. “It’s been feeling good,” Castle said. “It feels a lot better than I thought it would initially. Obviously, I had some adrenaline running, kind of once I settled down, I started to feel it. Waking up the next day, actually felt really good.” Castle was not listed on the injury report released by the Spurs on Sunday afternoon, so he’ll take on his usual starting role.

Castle’s first-ever NBA Finals game was a respectable one. The second-year guard finished second on the Spurs in scoring and did so on decent shooting. He crashed both the offensive and defensive glass on Wednesday while also doing a little bit as a passer. Still, Castle didn’t deliver high production. He’ll likely need to do a bit more on Friday to help the Spurs avoid dropping a second straight game.

Turnovers were an issue for Castle in Game 7, as he was responsible for six, but the second-year guard managed to contribute in other ways. In addition to shooting the ball well, Castle was active on the glass and took most of the hits in guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. One would assume that he’ll be given the task of defending New York’s Jalen Brunson in the NBA Finals, which begin on Wednesday in San Antonio.

Castle did several good things for the Spurs in Game 5. Efficient shooting overall and strong three-point production allowed him to finish as the team’s leading scorer, while his three steals and contributions as a facilitator are also noteworthy. He’s had an up-and-down series with several highs and lows, and San Antonio will need more of the highs on Thursday when it looks to avoid elimination. Castle is averaging 18.6 points and 7.6 assists through the first five games of the series.

Castle was one of four Spurs’ starters to record a complete stat line in Game 4, with Julian Champagnie being the exception. The second-year guard was once again a pest defensively, but he was also far more efficient on offense. After totaling 20 turnovers in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, Castle has been responsible for one each in Games 3 and 4. Getting De’Aaron Fox back has helped immensely, even if the veteran point guard has not looked as explosive as usual due to his right ankle injury.

Harper had a monster Game 1 but was forced out of Game 2 after only 25 minutes with what was believed to be a right leg injury. An MRI revealed a right adductor injury, and there’s a chance Harper is forced to sit out Game 3. De’Aaron Fox (ankle) is also questionable, and San Antonio’s backcourt could be shorthanded in a pivotal home showdown. Keldon Johnson and Jordan McLaughlin could be in line for expanded roles, with Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell doing some heavy lifting.

Castle had another performance marked by highs and lows. And although his aggressive approach led to a team-high 25 points, it also led to him giving the ball away nine times on Wednesday. The sophomore guard is up to 20 total turnovers through the first two games of the series, becoming the first player to hit that mark over a two-game span in NBA playoff history. With De’Aaron Fox (ankle) still out, and Dylan Harper (leg) exiting early in Game 2, even more of a burden could be put on Castle to run the offense and dominate the ball moving forward.

Fox missed Game 1, but with San Antonio already ahead 1-0 in the series, the team could opt to give him some extra rest before the series shifts back to Frost Bank Center for Games 3 and 4. Fox’s absence means more playmaking responsibilities for Stephon Castle and potentially another start for Dylan Harper, who was tremendous in Monday’s double overtime thriller.

Fox, who injured his right ankle during the Minnesota series, did not play in Monday’s double-overtime victory. Dylan Harper started and was outstanding, recording 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, seven steals, one three-pointer and one turnover. The rookie would get another start if Fox can’t play. Also, Stephon Castle must take better care of the ball after committing 11 turnovers on Monday.