Stephon Castle seems to take the games between the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies personally, and for good cause. Castle is presently the front-runner to win the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy, while Grizzlies rookies Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells have been receiving more Rookie of the Year attention than they merit.
Furthermore, Castle’s UConn Huskies and Edey’s Purdue Boilermakers faced off in the NCAA Tournament final the previous season, and the rivalry hasn’t diminished.
In the Spurs’ 130-128 win over the Grizzlies on Saturday, Castle led San Antonio with 24 points and seven assists and got tangled up with Edey, manhandling the 7-4 center. In his four games against Memphis this season, Castle is averaging 22.8 points and five assists, playing some of his very best basketball. Over the last two games, Castle seems to have broken a small slump he found himself in after the All-Star Break, and acting head coach Mitch Johnson credits his recent success with playing more freely. “I think he’s just back to being that unapologetically aggressive, relentless kid that we have come to love,” said Johnson. “I think he’s been thinking a lot, I think he’s been a little tired, I think he’s been a little overcoached, and it’s been nice to just see him playing hard, trusting his instincts.”
