Could Spurs put two on All-Defensive team? Stephon Castle making case

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors dominated All-Star guard Stephen Curry out for the 26^th consecutive recreation Wednesday with a proper knee harm.

Spurs guard Stephon Castle wasn’t essentially the most dissatisfied individual on the Chase Center to be taught the information.

But he was actually excessive on the listing.

“I want the best player on every team that we play against to play,” Castle stated after the Spurs’ morning walkthrough on the Warriors’ residence courtroom. “It sucks to have him out.”

That take-on-all-comers strategy has been Castle’s calling card since he was in highschool.

It is a mentality that has the 21-year-old Castle on the brink of probably incomes his first NBA All-Defensive honors.

Castle’s nightly defensive assignments learn like a who’s who of NBA superstars of all sizes and styles — Curry, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Donĉić, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Phoenix’s Devin Booker, Houston’s Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün.

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

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“The only thing that’s really similar with the guys that he guards is they’re always a primary option,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated.

When it involves the Spurs’ protection — ranked third within the NBA heading into Wednesday — Victor Wembanyama is the 7-foot-4 scene-stealer.

Before opposing gamers can strategy the paint to problem (or not) the league’s main shot-blocker, nonetheless, they first should make it previous a 6-foot-6, 220-pound Mack truck within the Spurs’ backcourt.

Castle’s hit listing has been spectacular.

On the Christmas Day win at Oklahoma City, he helped maintain Gilgeous-Alexander — the as soon as and maybe future NBA MVP — to a 7-of-19 taking pictures efficiency.

In February, I hounded Cunningham right into a brutal 5-of-26 night time. Doncic had a 9-of-26 nightmare towards Castle in November.

There was the night time in Houston wherein Castle took a break from the responsibility of making Durant’s life depressing to modify onto the Şengün, an All-Star heart, thereby short-circuiting the Rockets’ late-game offense.

“A lot of teams don’t even want to bring the ball up when he’s pressing them,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell stated. “Or they’re trying to set a screen, or they’re just trying to pass it.”

Castle’s defensive chops factored into his Rookie of the Year win final season.

He has improved each on and off the ball in his second NBA marketing campaign, coaches and teammates say.

“Him being able to get into people’s chests and him having that reputation now to where he could be a little bit more physical and he can get away with some of them bumps and pushes, that allows you to become a really good defender,” Vassell stated. “And that’s what he’s been able to excel in.”

Castle’s all-defense case has the notable assist of Wembanyama, who seems to be a shoo-in to win his first NBA Defensive Player of the Year award later this spring.

By season’s finish, Wembanyama expects to see Castle’s title subsequent to his on one of many two NBA All-Defensive groups.

READ MORE: Does Victor Wembanyama need to score more to catch Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for MVP?

“He was already good,” Wembanyama stated. “But we put him on some top guys multiple times, and he’s answered every time. He’s really, really impressive defensively.”

Castle has at all times thought of himself one thing of an enormous slayer, relationship to his earliest days on campus at Newton High School in Covington, Ga.

Not solely was he prepared to take on essentially the most troublesome defensive matchup, he usually demanded it.

“In high school, it was probably more just pride,” Castle stated. “Seeing guys ranked ahead of me, guys who have the same path going into college. I see someone getting a lot of hype, I want to see what it’s about.”

Castle continued to dominate the defensive finish for one season in school at Connecticut, the place his tenacity was a driving power behind the Huskies’ surge to the 2024 NCAA nationwide championship.

The first marquee matchup Castle remembers within the NBA, coincidentally sufficient, was Curry.

“We played the Warriors early in my rookie year,” Castle stated. “He was probably one of the first big superstars that I played against.”

The Spurs gained that Nov. 23, 2024, recreation towards Golden State 104-94. Castle made his mark, serving to restrict Curry to a 5-of-16 efficiency.

Make no mistake. Curry has gotten in his licks as nicely.

Twice in three nights earlier final November, Curry made the Frost Bank Center into his private playground regardless of Castle’s finest efforts, totaling 95 factors in consecutive Golden State victories.

The 49 factors Curry posted within the second of these wins stays his season excessive.

If Castle arrived within the Bay Area this week making an attempt to achieve revenge towards the two-time MVP, Curry’s balky proper knee scuttled these plans.

Much to Castle’s chagrin.

“He’s kind of the engine for this (Warriors) team, and I always enjoy playing against him, Castle said. “Taking on those challenges is something I’m very comfortable with.”

And that ought to make the remainder of the league uncomfortable.