The San Antonio Spurs had one of the deepest backcourts all season long, but recent injuries to De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper may have cast some doubt on their prowess.
Between Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper, the San Antonio Spurs had one of the deepest and best backcourts all season long. As the postseason got underway, that didn't change at all, as the trio took turns putting the team on their back.
However, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Ayo Dosunmu dove at Fox's ankles. The All-Star ended up playing in Game 6, but has yet to make an appearance against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
To make matters worse, Harper went down with a hamstring injury in Game 2 on Wednesday night. As the sole rotation backcourt player left, Stephon Castle coughed up nine turnovers, and the Spurs dropped the game.
There is yet to be official word on either Fox's or Harper's status in Game 3, but the Spurs downplayed any panic.
Spurs Aren't Ready to Panic Over Injuries
While Castle has been a turnover machine in both games, his defense and ability to get downhill keep him on the floor. In Game 1, he turned the ball over 11 times, but his defense prevailed. In Game 2, his sloppiness ended up costing the Spurs the game, but splitting the first two contests with the Thunder is a net positive for the underdog Spurs.
With Harper out, the Spurs turned to Jordan McLaughlin. In his second season with the Spurs, he has mostly been a garbage-time sub, but he is a steady veteran with playoff experience.
The Spours know he's not a world-beater, but they can trust him.
“Every single time J-Mac comes in, he makes the right play, hits a big shot,” praised Devin Vassell after the game. “As soon as he came in, he wasn’t even warm yet, and he hit a 3. He’s steady. If he needs to come in and play, I don’t think anybody is worried or concerned.”
McLaughlin finished with six points and a dime, making both of his 3-pointers and giving the Spurs some life in the second quarter.
Victor Wembanyama knows the Spurs can play a bit wild at times, and McLaughlin, even in limited minutes, slowed them down and kept them steady.
"I mean, we didn't do a great job at it today, but we need some poise for sure, taking care of the ball, helping the main ball handlers, and being aggressive, being aggressive, just like we were in the third quarter," said the MVP finalist.
While the Spurs know they can turn to the end of the bench, hopefully, they will be at full strength for Game 3 on Friday night, in the Frost Bank Center.
