The San Antonio Spurs delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season Saturday, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 127-95 at Fiserv Forum behind a triple-double from Stephon Castle.
Castle finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as San Antonio extended its winning streak to eight games. The rookie guard orchestrated the offense throughout the night while the Spurs placed seven players in double figures.
Victor Wembanyama added 23 points, 15 rebounds and six assists while anchoring both ends of the floor. San Antonio shot 55.1% from the field (49-of-89) and controlled the tempo from the opening minutes.
The victory marked the Spurs’ 13th win in their last 14 games. The result also guaranteed San Antonio will finish no lower than second in the Western Conference playoff standings, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder by two games.
San Antonio never trailed in the contest and built its advantage through ball movement and efficient scoring. The Spurs recorded 35 assists while limiting turnovers to 11.
Castle highlighted the first half with one of the game’s biggest plays, finishing a dunk after a behind-the-back pass from Wembanyama. The sequence energized the Spurs during a dominant stretch.
San Antonio led by as many as 28 points before halftime and carried a 67-45 lead into the break. The balanced scoring attack featured Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson with 16 points each, while Dylan Harper added 14 points.
De’Aaron Fox contributed 12 points and six assists while helping push the pace in transition. Julian Champagnie added 11 points for the Spurs.
Milwaukee briefly showed signs of life early in the third quarter. The Bucks opened the half with a 13-4 run to trim the deficit to 13 points.
However, San Antonio quickly regained control behind Castle’s playmaking and Wembanyama’s interior presence. The Spurs eventually stretched their lead to 38 points in the second half.
Gary Trent Jr. led Milwaukee with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Myles Turner added 15 points and Ousmane Dieng scored 12.
The loss carried major postseason implications for Milwaukee. At 29-44, the Bucks were officially eliminated from playoff contention, ending their streak of nine consecutive postseason appearances.
Milwaukee played without Giannis Antetokounmpo for a sixth straight game due to a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The Bucks were also missing Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, Gary Harris and Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
The depleted lineup struggled to match San Antonio’s depth and pace. Milwaukee shot 43.7% from the field and committed 18 turnovers while losing nine of its last 11 games.
San Antonio now returns home to host the Chicago Bulls on Monday before beginning another three-game road trip. Milwaukee will remain at Fiserv Forum to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
