Stephon Castle in the first 2 games: 20 turnovers, Stephon Castle in the last 2 games: 2 turnovers
He also has a combined 13 assists to 2 turnovers
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4845367/stephon-castle
Fox has been back the last 2 games
Pretty obvious he’s not a PG but he’s an incredible wing
He had team high 6 assists today and team high 7 assists last game. Castle is a PG but he is not elite - at least not yet. And unlike most PGs (all PGs?) he also defends other teams best players, which drains energy. So having Fox leads to less stress overall and allows him to pass the ball if he doesn’t feel 100% in a possession.
He’s a better passer in transition than in the half court.
Most people should be as there’s more room to make the pass without interception and the defence isn’t set.
I mean his passes in transition are superior to most who pass in transition, while his passing in half court (specifically feeding Wemby into good spots) is average compared to most who pass into big men.
Of course transition passing is easier than pinpoint half court passing lol
He’s been great in half-court all season too with his cross courts and kickouts, just not as much against a handsy defense like OKC. But overall, he ranked as our clear best playmaker of the 3 guards even while being the most Turnover prone. He makes risky passes, but it pays off with a lot of high quality shots (where he ranks 98th percentile).
He is an elite passer. What he is not is an elite dribbler. He also turned it over a good amount on paint touches when he was gathering the ball. Against other teams, in the regular season some of those are probably fouls.
This is also how Jrue Holiday played during that 2021 title run. Offense was shot but his defense against the opponent’s best players was key, and Middleton/Giannis could act as other playmakers. Steph is filling the same role but thankfully he has Fox and Harper.
Lol Castle is clearly a point guard but not every PG can be CP3 and an incredible ball handler and not turn it over
And “wing” doesn’t matter anyway, Castle is still at his best with the ball in his hands and not great off it, wing/guard is a useless definition, the role matters
Yeah idk why people are saying he can’t be a point guard. Castle will never be a low turnover point guard but he can definitely play the position. He was the main guy making plays for the spurs all season.
Ideally he will continue to play like Jimmy Butler did with Kyle Lowry. Handles the ball a ton but has another playmaker with him
Wasn’t castle a shooting guard in college? They clearly gave him more reps this season to make him a combo guard
Eh college roles don’t matter as much, Castle was a “SG” because he was a freshman, they had Newton and Cam Spencer and were trying to win
His best attribute is still driving on the ball, no matter what position you want to label him as
He was a PG in high school and took on a secondary creator/wing role with UConn because they were a veteran squad gunning for a natty and didn’t need him to be a PG for them
To be even more specific…. Newton was an all american and won the Bob Cousey award (given to the best college PG)
On a title winning team, of course the freshman took a back seat to the senior. And that speaks well to Castle accepting his role in terms of “I do what the team needs” which is why I think the Spurs were so high on him- if Harper becomes the second option, he ain’t gonna bitch and be sulky
Technically he played SF in college (Cam Spencer on the Grizz was the SG), but that UConn team had a ton of talent and interchangeable parts.
He played PG in high school and always expressed he wanted to be a PG in the NBA.
Yeah, so it turns out having:
A) the number 2⁄3 guy and the primary perimeter defender for a team in the WCF
B) a starting bigman for a playoff team (though Clingan was not trying 3s at UConn- think he should keep trying them, it’ll extend his career)
C) an NBA bench 3 pt specialist who is fucking insane
D) a g league triple double guy (hope Newton can get a run somewhere as a starter)
E) a guy who may get drafted in the first round (Karaban)
Is a really fucking good college team. Best point differential in the tourney all time, no game was less than a 13 point victory.
Duke 92? Nova 2016? Eat your heart out
He was 3⁄4 in college. Along with Karaban, his primary job was to devastate the other team with his length and athleticism on the perimeter and be the 4th or 5th option offensively. I’ve never seen a 1 and done top tier talent like him, tbh. Just completely unselfish and immediately and 100% bought into the role Hurley carved out for him. He didn’t come there to show off his skills for the NBA at all. It was just about winning and nothing else. I knew he’d be a serious dude in the NBA alone just based off of his attitude and athleticism alone.
He came in as a PG, but Newton was entrenched as a national title winning top level college player already and Spencer was a great second option scorer and ball-handler.
Also, Cam Spencer is mildly insane and if he says he’s bringing up the ball, you give it to him so he doesn’t stab you later.
Love that guy
SF in college. Cam was the SG. Newton the PG.
He can be a PG but clearly the man that’ll be running this show in the future is Harper.
Clearly, the goal is not to have one guy running the show. It’ll always be divided more or less equally amongst the 3 guards as long as they’re together. That’s how they shine the most
Castle is absolutely a PG, he’s just green. He takes too long to read the defense coming up the court, and that bites him when they trap at half court. That will get better with experience.
He absolutely a PG, he’s just still raw. This is just his second year and he’s playing in the WCF against the defending champions. It’s trail by fire right now.
He’s like a point guard/wing hybrid. He’s a great secondary playmaker, not primary.
Castle can be Cade point guard
Give me another Starting 2nd year 21yr old PG of The conference Finals.
He obviously is a…Young PG.
You must be new to the Spurs and a casual to player development.
He averaged the 6th most assists in the league this year. He is definitely meant to be a ball handler and playmaker, he just needs another ball handler beside him
Wouldn’t say that. He’s a sophomore playing against the most turn over causing defense, at the time without other lead ball handlers to alleviate his load. He’s still creating a lot of the offense out there with Fox in, but is playing more in control
Castle is a combo guard. You can trust him to run the offense in spurts, but he can’t be your primary ball handler.
Fox is crucial
Spurs fans were already making trade packages with Fox so castle and Harper could takeover lol
Lol for realz!
We’ve saying this since the series started. He got hurt in the previous series with Minny and is still playing through it. Dort landing on him last game didn’t help yet he’s battling on both ends.
Steph’s secret weapon is that he’s insanely coachable. It’s how he improved his horrible shooting and I’m sure he’ll get those turnovers handled also
Every interview he takes accountability for those turnovers. Kid is what you want in a young and talented player.
He played for Danny Hurley he probably beat some coachability into him
Dan Hurley loved him specifically because he was already so coachable
Castle is a Man Who Ran
Iykyk
In game 3 he acted like a crash-out.
One of the things I noticed in game 4 is his stoicism. Dude wasn’t chatting shit or taking shit. He played physical as fuck, and didn’t complain about anything against him or fall for any of the thunders chirping when they’d try talking to him. He worried about what he could control and that was it.
And also his turnovers were not dump. Almost as he push the tempo too much. He found good balance.
Is he going to have 0.2 turnovers in the next 2 games? Or will it be -18 turnovers in the next 2 games?
Edit: 16 not 18. I apparently can’t do math tonight lol
-16* turnovers
16 steals
Are you telling me the 22 year old who wasn’t the primary ballhandler all year wasn’t ready to suddenly take on that role in the conference finals and struggled??????
edit: I am learning I didn’t watch enough Spurs games this year, nevermind
who wasn’t the primary ballhandler all year
Except he was, he averaged the most touches for the Spurs, most time on the ball, averaged most passes and most assists
He just needs help and Fox was the one who took a step back and wasn’t the primary handler
Yeah he was definitely the main playmaker for the spurs all year.
But the Spurs sub said to get rid of Fox midseason!
Why do I see this narrative pushed around so much? Bro he has been our primary ball handler the entire fucking year
He’s, terrifyingly enough, 21. He turns 22 at the beginning of next season. Harper won’t turn 21 until March 2027
wtf
Yeah, it’s nuts. While Harper is technically 20… he turned 20 at the beginning of March. How he has THAT finishing package at 20 is a credit to Ron Harper Sr., and also just sheer insanity
21*
25 years but yea
Castle is 21, you might be thinking of Vassell
Yea just realized
What?
I’m dumb. Confused him with Vassell
He’s a 22 year old second year player
Looks like fox is pretty damn important!
I think the secret to winning games is to have fewer turnovers.
This and also score more points
Big if true
The Deaaron Fox effect
Everyone say thank you Fox
That why you need a veteran on your team
Thanks Fox 🦊
Cade’s record is safe
This series will be so good for castle’s development as a passer
20 turnovers in 2 games to 2 turnovers in 2 games is not a adjustment that’s a personality transplant
the spurs were like hey rookie maybe stop giving it away and he said understood, never again, my bad
More like their real PG fox came back so they didn’t have to rely on a young combo guard to run the entire offense
The Spurs are really good at adapting and making changes
James Harden your record is safe
The duality of Stephon Castle. 🏰
This really could’ve been a sweep if Fox was in
He played game 3, lol
It was a very injured Fox though testing the limits of his ankle. A high ankle sprain takes weeks to heal right. Seems like he is getting there though.