What Numbers Support Stephon Castle's Elite Defense?

In the Spurs' 110-104 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Castle posted a solid ten points, eight assists, and three rebounds. He did shoot only 1-7 from deep, but his defense was his calling card.

After the game, acting head coach Mitch Johnson took the time to praise his young guard's defensive effort. Catle turned the ball over seven times and did not have a good shooting outing, but he continued to play with hustle, grit, and confidence on both ends of the court.

"He's got great defensive instincts," said Johnson. "You just see him and he makes plays, and he threw that lob [to Zach Collins that resulted in a turnover] that we'll slap his wrist for, but he moved on. That's what he's been really good at."

His box plus/minus of +15 was second only to Harrison Barnes, and he had a game-clinching block in the final 30 seconds on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is incredibly crafty near the basket. Castle avoided fouling the MVP frontrunner and sent his shot out of bounce off Keldon Johnson, preserving the six-point Spurs' lead.

Stephon Castle Blocks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (0:09)

Castle held SGA to 6-10 shooting as the primary defender, which isn't great, but the two-time All-NBA guard finished with 32 points, showcasing just how elite he can be on the offensive end. 

Throughout the season, with Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell both missing extended time, Castle has been tasked with guarding some of the best players in the NBA, and he has done so with gusto and eagerness. 

"Having a short-term memory, trusting my defense, if I turn the ball over or make a bad play offensively, I have the abilities to get it back on defense," said Castle. "Not hanging my head on bad plays, there are a lot of plays that make up a game, so just not trying to get too overworked about one possession." Castle's ability to get back on defense and "stop the bleeding" has been one of his defining factors. So many superstars in the NBA often whine to officials after turning the ball over, but Castle knows he won't have a friendly whistle.

Last season, Sochan was given flowers for his ability to make life hard for the league's best players, and in his absence, Castle has taken on the burden of guarding some of the league's best perimeter players.

NBA Stars While Guarded By Stephon Castle

NBA Head-To-Head Data

While Castle's numbers against Jordan Poole, Fred VanVleet, and Jalen Green are not as good as fans would hope, he has held his own against SGA and Collin Sexton and has been stellar while defending Kyrie Irving, Austin Reaves, and De'Aaron Fox.

Once Wembanyama, Sochan, and Vassell are healthy, the Spurs can implement an elite defensive lineup of Chris Paul, Castle, and those three stars. All of those players are plus defenders, Castle and Paul can sling the rock, Vassell, Paul, and Wembanyama can shoot from deep, and Sochan and Castle can disrupt on both ends of the floor.

Once the team is fully healthy and hits its stride, it could be one of the more fun and frisky teams in a crowded Western Conference and could make for a chaotic Play-In Tournament matchup.