The Spurs' big picture is coming to life
Stephon Castle's emergence is serving as a reminder that drafting Victor Wembanyama was just the beginning of whatever comes next.
Steph Castle picked up Steph Curry 94 feet from the basket, ready to put the two-time MVP through one last possession from hell.
With one minute left in a game San Antonio led by eight points, the rookie rode the hip of Golden State’s superstar down the sideline, chased him toward help in the corner, stayed down on a pump fake and forced him to give up the ball. Then, as an exhausted Curry trudged back to receive a dribble-handoff, Castle was once again cloaked on him like a shadow from which the former could not separate.
It was a full 10 seconds of defensive wreckage that ruined any sort of last-ditch comeback attempt from a Warriors team that managed only 13 points in the final 12 minutes of play — a microcosm of what the Spurs accomplished during a 40-13 run to seal a 104-94 victory. And right there at the point of attack every time down the floor was Castle, chopping off the head of Golden State’s snake.
“After the game I said (to Castle), ‘He be moving, don't he?’” laughed Chris Paul, who acknowledged how nice it is to not be the guy tasked with chasing Curry around anymore. “It is cool though … there’s not a lot of guys that play both ways [defense and offense]. With Steph being a rookie, I just love that he ain't ducking nothing.”
It’s true. Castle wants every bit of responsibility the Spurs can throw at him, and he’s been asking for it since his first day in the practice facility. The way he sees it, it’s one of the main reasons the team drafted him, so he’s going to do his job — a job that includes defending some of the best in the world as a 20-year-old rookie.
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