Stephon Castle did not try to hide the disappointment of falling short in the NBA Finals.
Just two days after the San Antonio Spurs lost the championship series to the New York Knicks in five games, Castle reflected on a season that exceeded outside expectations but ended one victory short of the franchise’s ultimate goal. His message throughout Monday’s end-of-season media availability was clear: the loss hurts, but it can become motivation.
“I mean, it hurt,” Castle said when asked about the emotions following the Finals defeat. “I mean, we felt like we could have got it done. I mean, like you said, we were one step away.”
The second-year guard stopped short of labeling the season a disappointment despite the painful finish.
“But, I mean, I wouldn’t look at this season as a failure,” Castle said. “I feel like we did a lot of good this season, but obviously we didn’t accomplish the main goal. But, I mean, just trying to use it as fuel to the fire for next season.”
San Antonio entered the playoffs after a 62-20 regular season, the second-best record in the Western Conference. The Spurs eliminated Portland in five games, Minnesota in six, and then defeated the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference Finals before reaching the NBA Finals.
Castle emerged as one of the team’s most important players throughout that run. The 21-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 7.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds during the regular season, then increased his scoring to 18.2 points per game in the playoffs while adding 6.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds across 23 postseason appearances.
Asked about the intensity of the fourth quarter in Game 5, Castle described the urgency both teams felt with a championship on the line.
“I mean, it was a high-intensity game,” Castle said. “I mean, a lot on the line. I mean, everybody just wants to win.”
He added that the stakes forced players to dig deeper physically and mentally.
“In those moments, I mean, there’s no promise for tomorrow for us,” Castle said. “So I feel like everybody dig deep.”
Castle also offered insight into how New York’s defense disrupted San Antonio’s offense during the series-clinching game.
“Yeah, I think they crowded the pick and rolls a lot,” he said. “You know, it kind of made us stagnant on the ball.”
According to Castle, the Knicks’ defensive approach eliminated many of the passing options the Spurs typically rely on.
“When we tried to get to isolation, they kind of took away passing lanes too, so it made us play one-on-one a lot,” Castle said. “But, I mean, yeah, just have to go back and really look at it.”
The Spurs held leads in all five Finals games but were unable to close out four of them. Castle believes that was the deciding factor more than San Antonio’s relative lack of postseason experience.
“The majority of the game, I feel like we had it under control,” Castle said. “But I feel like those little things, I feel like they were just a step better than us at those, and I feel like that’s why they ended up pulling it out.”
Castle pointed to execution rather than age as the difference between the two teams.
“We had a lead in pretty much every game,” he said. “I feel like we just couldn’t finish. I don’t think it has anything to do with our youth, but I think just credit to them.”
