The San Antonio Spurs boast a top-three defense in the NBA, and credit is due to two of the best defenders in the entire NBA.
After years of tanking and rebuilding, the San Antonio Spurs are finally back to being one of the best teams in the NBA. Lottery luck helped a lot, as the Spurs managed to land Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper with top picks in their respective drafts, but finding the right fit and building a well-rounded roster plays a big part, as well.
The Spurs, during their dynastic run, were headlined by David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Kawhi Leonard, all of whom were some of the best defenders of all time. Wembanyama is well on the way to becoming the best defender ever, but he ins't the only stopper the team has.
Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell, Luke Kornet, and De'Aaron Fox are all solid, capable defenders, although San Antonio boasts two of the very best defenders in the league.
Castle Wants to Be in Wembanyama Conversations
Wembanyama, with his versatile skillset and unparalleled shot-blocking abilities, is by far the best defender in the league. However, he doesn't really take on individual assignments. He is not tasked with shutting down the best players in the league.
Stephon Castle is, and he doesn't shy away from that being his calling card.
"Do you happen to know the two players that you've guarded the most this year?" asked ESPN's Malika Andrews. "Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one, and then Luka Doncic is two."
"I take a lot of pride in that," said Castle on the broadcast. "I ask for those matchups, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I feel like I could be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. So just day in and day out, I just try to prove that."
This season, Doncic is averaging 32.8 points per game. In three games against the Spurs, he is posting 36 points per game, although his shooting efficiency took a slight dip.
Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, scored 31.8 points per game on the season. That number drops to 29.5 points per game against the Spurs, and San Antonio is 3-1 against SGA this year, and 4-1 in the season series against the Thunder.
While Castle might not be a lockdown defender (although stars do avoid him), he is more than capable of slowing down some of the game's best scorers, making life easier for Wembanyama and raising the Spurs' defensive ceiling.