The San Antonio Spurs are set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals after eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
Speaking to NBA on Prime Video’s Cassidy Hubbarth after the Spurs’ 139-109 win, Stephon Castle delivered a message for the Thunder ahead of their playoff series. Castle led the way for the Spurs in Game 6, finishing with 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
“I mean, the games ahead are totally different games,” Castle said. “You know, they’re rolling right now. They’ve won eight straight, so they’re the defending champs. We know it’s going to be tough to knock them off, but I think we’re pretty confident we can do it.”
According to the NBA, Castle became the youngest player in league history to have 30-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and five-plus 3-point shots. He’s also the only player in Spurs franchise history to have two 30-point games in a postseason before turning 22 years old, as per StatMuse.
Mitch Johnson Praises Stephon Castle’s Performance
Stephon Castle made it look easy against the Timberwolves in Game 6. He had his way with Minnesota’s defense, attacking Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels and whoever was in front of him.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson praised Castle for his historic performance.
“It was pretty damn good,” Johnson said, via Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “I thought his temperament and disposition led to him having the right approach and playing the right way.”
It was a special night for Castle, but the win wasn’t a one-man effort. Victor Wembanyama had 19 points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocks, while Julian Champagnie added 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
De’Aaron Fox scored 21 points, though he went back to the locker room due to a sprained ankle in the second quarter. He returned in the second half, so Spurs fans have nothing to worry about.
Dylan Harper was also huge off the bench, contributing 15 points, five rebounds and two assists. They limited Edwards to 24 points on 26 shots, while Julius Randle only scored three points and Rudy Gobert was held scoreless.
Spurs-Thunder Preview
The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are set to face each other for the seventh time in a playoff series. This year’s matchup is their first since 2016, when the Thunder eliminated the Spurs from the Western Conference Semifinals in six games.
It’s also their first matchup in the Western Conference Finals since 2012. The Thunder prevailed back then, en route to their first NBA Finals appearance in Oklahoma City.
However, new faces are going to battle for supremacy, with two MVP candidates in Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder have been unstoppable in the playoffs, but the Spurs had their numbers in the regular season.
In five games this season, the Spurs won the season series 4-1. The Spurs dominated the first three matchups, winning three straight on December 13, 23 and 25 before the Thunder earned a 119-98 win on January 13.
The Spurs were back at it again on February 4, showing that they might just be the kryptonite for the defending NBA champions.
Stephon Castle Sends Message to Thunder Ahead of Western Conference Finals