San Antonio Spurs star guard Stephon Castle is listed as questionable on the team's injury report a day ahead of a New Year's Eve match-up with the New York Knicks. The Spurs indicate the second-year guard is dealing with a left thumb strain. A strain in Castle's left hip caused him to miss nine games from mid-November through the first week of December.
The reigning Rookie of the Year played 34 minutes, scoring 15 points, dishing out eight assists, and grabbing four rebounds in a 113-101 setback to the Cleveland Cavaliers the night before this latest injury report. That scoring output matched his worst since a December 16 124-113 loss to the Knicks in the final of the NBA Cup.
For the season, the former UConn standout is averaging 18.5 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in just under 31 minutes. Defensively, he averages more than a steal per contest in routinely guarding the opponent's best perimeter player. Castle's play has been instrumental in the Spurs' surge toward the top of the NBA standings, though this thumb issue comes as his squad has lost two straight after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder twice in a row to cap an eight-game win streak.
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After recently turning 21, Castle's production is substantially higher than last season, when he captured the award for the NBA's best first-year player. He averaged 14,7 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in nearly 27 minutes per night. Despite season-ending injuries to Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, the Spurs won 12 more games than the year before Castle arrived.
When San Antonio meets New York in the last game of 2025, it'll serve as a match-up of teams that sit second in their respective conference standings. The Silver and Black trail only OKC, against whom Caste has enjoyed three very good games in three victories. The Knickerbockers' 23-9 mark – both the Knicks and Spurs have the same record – ranks just one game behind the Detroit Pistons.
Fellow Spurs perimeter player Devin Vassell has already been ruled out for the contest.