If you’re anything like me, you spent the entirety of tonight’s game in complete perplexity. San Antonio is shorthanded because their best player, Victor Wembanyama, is gone for the season, so expect the guys next in the pecking order to step up and play a larger role. However, Stephon Castle played somewhat less than 12 minutes tonight.
Castle is a rookie, but he has been one of the Spurs’ five best players for the majority of the season, and he has cracked the top three on multiple occasions. When he wasn’t playing, I questioned if he had an injury. There’s no other logical explanation why the leading Rookie of the Year candidate should be on the bench.
Mitch Johnson was asked about it following his second consecutive loss to the Pelicans, and his response was confused, frustrating, and senseless.
Spurs should play Castle more than ever.
With Wembanyama injured, the Spurs should do everything possible to cultivate Stephon Castle. He’s shown flashes of brilliance this season, but increasing his confidence and giving him more live repetitions should be a top priority. This seems evident, which is why Johnson’s decision-making is perplexing.
If mistakes were a reason to bench players, either no one would play on this team, or the Silver and Black would forfeit a number of games. De’Aaron Fox committed six turnovers tonight and shot 6/21 from the field, yet no one is considering benching him. Don’t get me started on Devin Vassell this year, or Keldon Johnson early in the season before his comeback.
Johnson has spent enough time with Coach Pop to hear him extol the importance of allowing young players to make errors. That’s where the frustration sets in. He should know better than to bench a rookie because he knows that all novice athletes make mistakes. Playing through it helps them learn how to improve. Benchmarking them can undermine their confidence. It is not the proper move.
Castle is not beyond severe coaching, but he also needs to learn tough lessons on the court. He turned the ball over several times while attempting to make a play, as he is meant to do. He also fouled a couple times while playing with a crafty ball club. If he fouls out, it’s a teaching opportunity. Not allowing him to try to manage his foul trouble does not help him deal with it later.
Coach Johnson again stated that the starters were “rolling,” but they won the third quarter by only two points (32-30). They lost the game after losing the fourth quarter by ten points (30-20). Not to mention that nine players played in the third quarter (Castle was not one of them), and with just five starters, that aspect of his response is totally illogical.
Steph did play in the fourth quarter, but for only three minutes. If tanking is the goal, Fox should get the procedure. He isn’t himself anyway. Chris Paul played 33 minutes. Do whatever you want with that knowledge.
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