Spurs Surge to Fourth Straight Victory Behind Stephon Castle’s Historic Performance
Stephon Castle’s triple-double of 40 points propelled the San Antonio Spurs to a fourth consecutive NBA victory on Saturday, defeating the struggling Dallas Mavericks 138-125.
In addition to a career-high point total, Castle collected 12 rebounds and distributed 12 assists, adding three steals and one block to complete his all-around performance.
The 21-year-old rookie became the third-youngest player to record a 40-point triple-double, trailing only LeBron James and Luka Doncic. He joined David Robinson as the only players in Spurs history to achieve a 40-point triple-double.
Castle was efficient, making 15 of 19 shots, helping the Spurs secure their second win against the Mavericks in three days, while extending Dallas’ losing streak to seven games.
Devin Vassell added 17 points and Victor Wembanyama finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who led 81-67 at halftime.
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 19 points, while phenomenal rookie Cooper Flagg was held to 14 points, ending his streak of four consecutive games with at least 30 points.
Flagg did not play in the fourth quarter, with Mavericks coach Jason Kidd explaining after the game that the 19-year-old was battling a back issue.
Castle reached 40 points with an offensive rebound slam dunk midway through the fourth period, extending San Antonio’s lead to 129-108.
“It felt good, but most importantly, it felt good knowing we were going to win,” he commented.
Rockets Rally Past Thunder
The Houston Rockets, fueled by a triple-double from Alperen Sengun and clutch baskets from Kevin Durant, rallied to defeat the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who were without several starters, 112-106 in Oklahoma City.
Houston was down by 15 points in the second quarter against a Thunder team missing MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
But the Rockets fought back, taking the lead in the third period and holding on for the win, ending a two-game losing streak.
“We started making shots,” said Durant, a two-time NBA champion who began his career with the Thunder and received boos from fans still disappointed by his departure of over nine years ago.
“I think in the first half we had good looks, but they weren’t falling. In the second half, they went in.”
“We knew they were going to slow down a little bit,” Durant added. “They were playing with a lot of energy at home in the first half. They were missing three guys, other guys stepped up and took advantage of it. In the second half, I think we came out with the same energy.”
Durant, quiet in the first half where he attempted only three shots, finished with 20 points and 6-of-10 shooting.
Turkish center Sengun recorded 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, adding three steals and three blocks. Jabari Smith Jr. Had a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Tari Eason led Houston with 26 points, while all five Rockets starters scored at least 16 points.
Cason Wallace led the Thunder with 23 points and Isaiah Joe added 21 off the bench for the reigning champions, who still maintain the best record in the league at 40-13.
Forward Chet Holmgren, returning after missing time with an injury, added 17 points and 14 rebounds, but the Thunder – without Gilgeous-Alexander until after the All-Star break due to an abdominal issue – were unable to maintain their initial pace.
In other games, the Brooklyn Nets scored 80 points in the first half, winning 127-113 against the Washington Wizards, who had only eight players available due to injuries and pending acquisitions. Michael Porter Jr. Scored 23 points, 20 of them in the first half, ending the Nets’ three-game losing streak.
Nikola Jokic had a record-setting night, helping the Denver Nuggets bounce back from a loss in overtime against the New York Knicks with a 136-120 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Chicago. Jokic recorded 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 17 assists, his 182nd career triple-double, surpassing Oscar Robertson for second place on the all-time list, behind Russell Westbrook with 207 triple-doubles.
Charlotte saw Miles Bridges score 26 points and rookie Kon Knueppel add 23, as the Hornets secured their ninth consecutive victory with a 126-119 win over the Hawks in Atlanta. The Hornets’ streak is the longest in the NBA currently and the longest for the club since 1999, when they won nine straight games.
In Los Angeles, LeBron James scored 20 points, with seven rebounds and 10 assists, leading the Lakers to a 105-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Moses Moody led the Warriors with 25 points in a California matchup that lost some luster due to the absences of Warriors star Stephen Curry and Lakers’ Luka Doncic due to injury.
