Spurs' Stephon Castle: Goes missing in Game 5 loss
Rotowire
Castle registered six points (1-10 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-6 FT), five rebounds, four assists and one steal over 32 minutes during Saturday's 94-90 loss to the Knicks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Castle was nowhere to be seen, particularly on the offensive end, where he scored a career playoff-low six points. It highlighted the fact that San Antonio was running with a highly inexperienced lineup, although one that will certainly be better for the loss. It was an unfortunate end to what was a dynamic postseason for the sophomore, who averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.5 three-pointers through 23 appearances.
Castle provided 23 points (8-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT), five rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal over 38 minutes during Monday's 115-111 victory over the Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Castle delivered on the biggest stage, turning in his best performance of the NBA Finals and helping the Spurs wrestle back some of the momentum. Despite his relative inexperience, Castle has remained upbeat, even after what was a disappointing effort in Game 2. Now trailing the series 2-1, San Antonio will look to secure a second straight road victory when the two teams meet again on Wednesday.
Castle closed with 14 points (5-14 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-4 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one steal across 28 minutes during Friday's 105-104 loss to the Knicks in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Castle was benched down the stretch, although he did return to the court for the final few plays. Despite solid production, Castle's performance was littered with lapses in judgment, primarily on the offensive end. On more than one occasion, he appeared to attack the basket without knowing what he was going to do. Both he and Victor Wembanyama were guilty of making errors, highlighting the fact that San Antonio is significantly outmatched when it comes to experience. Now trailing the series 2-0, Castle and his teammates will be looking to turn things around when the two teams meet again in New York on Monday.
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