Highlights: Keldon Johnson marshals the Spurs to an upset win over the Thunder

Sometimes being sixth in line actually means you’re first in line.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. A gutsy win over the first-place Western Conference team without your three top scorers says more about the team that’s slowly learning how to win together. Keldon Johnson led the team with 22 points as he continues to come off the bench and lead a second wave of energy and hustle. Harrison Barnes chipped in with 20 points and 8 boards while Chris Paul contributed 14 points and 11 assists.

You only get one “Welcome to the NBA” moment, but Stephon Castle wants the welcome mat rolled out as many times as possible—and rightfully so. This well-timed, clutch block on one of the best players in the league to seal the win is another way to get us to say, “WELCOME TO THE NBA” Stephon Castle!

The way Chris Paul just effortlessly lofted this ball over to an open Zach Collins was just so smooth and clean. This play made me feel so comfortable and safe that I kept watching it until I fell asleep and dreamed of the Beautiful Game circa 2014.

Either Johnson and Paul pulled a Freaky Friday on a Tuesday where Paul inhabited Johnson’s body long enough to conduct this gorgeous alley-oop to one Charles Bassey for the thunderous dunk or Johnson was just plainly in his bag. The former Mustang had his fingerprints all over this game and set the tone throughout as soon as he set foot on the court.

Castle got a little jealous that Johnson and Bassey just became best friends and just wanted Bassey to know that they can be best friends too. So on the next play, the rookie was kind enough to feed Bassey for another rim-rocking slam, and to top it off he also promised Charlie Hustle that he would never touch his drums—hashtag Catalina Wine Mixer.

OK Stephon Castle, calm down. It’s like you’re trying to make a strong case to be rookie of the year. Sure the last time that happened was a looong time ago way back in (checks notes) . . . 2014 and 2015 when Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns won the award as members of the Timberwolves.

Sure, Castle has a bit of a ways to go to catch the current odds-on favorites, and sure I’m totally biased, and sure he could also cut down on the turnovers he had in this game too, and sure it’s all wish-casting, but wow what a gem for the Spurs so far.

Johnson knew what he was doing on this play as soon as he woke up Tuesday morning. He had a bowl of Cheerios (he seems like a Cheerios type of guy), yogurt, maybe an apple, and decided to get dressed and put the Spurs team on his shoulders.

I think the Lourve just found its next exhibit. I call it, “Rise Above Adversity sponsored by the Kia Optima and brought to you by Eagle Casino-Hotel: Come for the games, stay for the all-you-can-eat shrimp cocktail.”

It’s a modern day Renaissance piece about the natural human ambition to elevate above the weight of pressure against the internal as well as external expectations of the world and to show all the haters what’s what. It’s an art history thing, you wouldn’t know. I wouldn’t either because I chose 3330 Sports and Public Spectacles of the Ancient World as my elective over 1301 Intro to Art History back in school.

If you missed the game because you were too busy researching where you can add a gift horse to your Christmas wish list, here are the full-game highlights:

Next up, the Spurs remain at home to take on the Utah Jazz on November 21, 2024