NBA Finals Game 3: Castle Shines as Spurs Edge Knicks; Wizards Plan Around Veteran Core and No. 1 Pick
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San Antonio, TX — Second-year guard Stephon Castle scored 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including a decisive three-pointer and two late free throws, lifting the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-111 Game 3 win over the New York Knicks.
Castle’s Composure Impresses Spurs
After a difficult Game 2, Castle delivered a poised performance that drew praise from All-Star center Victor Wembanyama, who called him “the most mature player on our team.” Veteran guard De’Aaron Fox echoed that sentiment, passing the ball back to Castle in the final seconds so the 21-year-old could close out the victory at the line.
Fox shot 4-for-14 but hit a key jumper with 12 seconds left to extend the lead. “His game is definitely mature beyond his years,” Fox said of Castle.
Knicks Frustrated by Free-Throw Gap
Knicks head coach Mike Brown highlighted a 24-to-8 second-half free-throw disparity in San Antonio’s favor. “I never thought I’d be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team’s eight,” Brown said.
Players focused on turnovers instead. New York surrendered 13 giveaways that San Antonio converted into 21 points. “Turned the ball over. Didn’t execute,” forward Karl-Anthony Towns noted. Guard Jalen Brunson offered similar remarks.
Wizards Face Offseason Near Tax Line
In Washington, an aggressive midseason push that brought in Trae Young and Anthony Davis has reshaped the Wizards’ cap outlook. Salary-cap analyst Yossi Gozlan projects the club to sit roughly $11 million below the luxury-tax threshold, pending Young’s upcoming contract decisions.
Holding the No. 1 overall draft selection, Washington is widely expected to select BYU standout AJ Dybantsa, positioning him alongside a veteran nucleus as the franchise accelerates its rebuild.
Source: Hoops Wire
