Stephon Castle Warns Thunder Rematch ‘Adds a Little Something’ for Spurs

Stephon Castle scored 16 points in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on May 30, when the San Antonio Spurs won 111-103 at Paycom Center to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder. The two teams meet again Tuesday night in San Antonio to open the regular season.

Castle met with reporters Monday. Two nights before Game 7, he scored 17 points in a 118-91 win in Game 6.

Both teams come in healthy, the way Castle would want it. Injuries are the worst part of the game to him. Thunder forward Jalen Williams reinjured his hamstring in Game 2 of the series and missed the next three games.

"It's gonna be physical. They're gonna play fast as they always do," Castle said. "We can't really change anything about us. They're a good team. They're gonna make some tough shots, too. So knowing that coming into the game, just trusting what we do for the whole 48, I think we'll be fine."

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson plans to start Castle, De'Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper together, with Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama. The three guards started together for the first time against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 14. Castle scored 18 points in the 123-103 win, and eight of his 14 made free throws came in the second quarter.

Castle does not see San Antonio's size as a problem, as long as everyone buys in.

"Just, I think, rebounding," Castle explained. "I think that's really the only problem we have with any type of big lineup. But I wouldn't even say it's a problem. I think if we all buy into it and just really focusing on it, I think we'll be fine. But I feel like that's number one on the list."

Rookie center Tarris Reed Jr. grabbed 17 rebounds in the Spurs' Oct. 12 preseason loss at Utah, eight of them offensive.

The Spurs cannot sneak up on anybody anymore. Castle feels they have earned the spotlight that comes with it.

"I think us having that seven-game series in the West Finals leading up to, obviously, an opening night game, and we're back on our floor, knowing how tough that series was, I think it definitely adds a little something," Castle said.

San Antonio went 62-20 last season. Oklahoma City went 64-18 and finished with the league's best record. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won MVP for the Thunder, but in Game 6 he shot 6-for-18 and finished with 15 points. Oklahoma City returns Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Chet Holmgren.

Castle keeps tendencies in the back of his mind, down to whether a scorer likes to drive right or left.

"I think just how hard it is to sustain that level of defense throughout a series," Castle said. "I think it takes a lot of things just off the court, mentally, watching a lot of film. I feel like that was probably the main thing that helped me, just watching film constantly, watching how other people guard the people that I'm matched up with, just doing that constantly."

"I think my physical ability and my agility to be able to move and get through screens and keep the ball in front is always good. But I think having the mental side of it was what helped me the most," Castle detailed.

The Spurs took Castle fourth overall in 2024, a few months after he won a national championship as a freshman at UConn. He won Rookie of the Year the following spring. He opened last season with 22 points in a 125-92 win at Dallas on Oct. 22, 2025. Wembanyama had 40 points and 15 rebounds that night.

Castle said Wembanyama is egoless and would never let fame make him feel higher than the program.

"He had a pretty big leadership role since I've been here," Castle said. "So I feel like it's grown every single year, and it's going to continue to grow. When he doesn't have the right thing to say, he always asks questions. So he doesn't feel like he's right all the time. So it's always good to have a leader like that that can come to you as well."

Oklahoma City will be without rookie Otega Oweh, who is out for the season with an Achilles injury. The Spurs list Tobias Harris and Jayden Quaintance as out.

Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CT on NBC.