Spurs’ Young duo Shines in Game 3 Victory Over Knicks]

Spurs’ Young duo Shines in Game 3 Victory Over Knicks]

Victor Wembanyama found Stephon Castle with less than a second remaining on the shot clock and lofted a 25-footer from the wing. The buzzer sounded and the crowd groaned as the decisive three-pointer swished through the net with under two minutes left in the Spurs’ 115-111 Game 3 victory at Madison Square Garden.

Standing at the free-throw line with 6.8 seconds remaining, Castle sank the clinching shots for the Spurs. The 21-year-old Wembanyama praised his teammate’s composure, saying, “He might be the most mature player on our team. He’s shown over and over again he’s capable and that we are right to put our trust in him.”

Castle delivered 18 of his 25 points in the first half, joining Wembanyama to become the first teammates aged 22 or younger to each score 20-plus points in an NBA Finals game. He finished with five rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal in 38 minutes.

Dylan Harper, 20, has been a force throughout the playoffs, averaging 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in the NBA Finals. “We kind of dictate where we want to go on the court,” Castle said. “That’s a skill that me and [Harper] both have, and it’s very useful.”

Castle’s three-point shooting (5-for-14 in the series) and Harper’s perimeter attempts (2-for-15 in the Finals) present opportunities for the Knicks to defend the paint aggressively. Josh Hart acknowledged the challenge, stating, “I’m sure we’re going to change some things and switch up some schemes to protect the paint. Obviously, those guys are very dynamic when they touch the paint.”

Source link