The Spurs dominated All-Star Weekend
All-Star Weekend has wrapped up, and the basketball world is still talking about the San Antonio Spurs. Much of the narrative around the All-Star Game was that Victor Wembanyama set the tone from an intensity standpoint, improving the game for the better.
But he wasn’t the only Spur to star at All-Star Weekend. De’Aaron Fox hit a game-winning three-pointer in the All-Star Game, Dylan Harper hit a game-winner over his brother in the Rising Stars Challenge, and Carter Bryant soared to a runner-up finish in the Dunk Contest.
Before the weekend, we polled readers on who would put on the best performance, and unsurprisingly, they nailed it. Wembanyama may have won the ASG MVP if Team World performed better. Mitch Johnson won’t get a lot of flowers for coaching Team Stripes, which lost in the championship game, but who knows if Kawhi Leonard goes on that 31-point tear if Johnson hadn’t been there to keep him in the game. It makes you think! Either way, the most successful event of the weekend had three Spurs involved in big moments.
Harper and Castle had their moments in the Rising Stars challenge, but it felt like Harper came away as a real winner from the weekend. His highlight against Ron Harper Jr. was hilarious. Ron Harper Sr. missing a layup in the Shooting Stars Challenge was funny, too. And all of the behind-the-scenes footage of Harper made it seem like he got to chum it up with some of the league’s best.
San Antonio could have had even more representation at the event, according to readers. 77% of respondents said that Castle was snubbed for the All-Star game. Castle is averaging 16.5 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds while shooting 46.4% from the field and 28.8% from three. Those aren’t quite All-Star stats, but once you figure in his defensive impact and the role he plays on a 38-16 team, it’s hard to deny that he has been one of the most important players in the NBA.
Castle’s time is coming. He’s improved in just about every statistical category since his rookie season. He’s developing into a legitimate two-way force who can make plays for others and get to the basket at will. We’re still waiting on the 2024 NBA Draft class’s first all-star. Castle could reach that height before the rest of the draftees.
The Spurs now head into the stretch run of the season as the playoffs rapidly approach. They not only have a shot at home court advantage in the first two rounds, but could even secure the one-seed if they go on a hot streak to end the season.
You can look at the Spurs odds for the rest of the season here: https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba
