The San Antonio Spurs opened the season on a tear, starting 5-0 and winning eight of their first 10 games. But the early momentum has been dampened by a wave of injuries to their young core, raising questions about how long they can sustain their strong start.
Earlier this week, the team announced that MVP and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks. On Tuesday, the Spurs took another blow when guard Stephon Castle was ruled out for at least one week because of a hip strain, according to NBA insider Shams Charania. The news adds to a growing list of absences, as No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper remains sidelined with a lingering hamstring injury.
Castle has been outstanding in his second season, building on the momentum from his Rookie of the Year campaign. The 21-year-old guard is averaging 17.3 points, 7.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game, with increases across nearly every statistical category. His defensive impact has also improved, as he continues to develop into one of San Antonio’s most dependable two-way players.
With Castle and Wembanyama unavailable, the Spurs will rely heavily on De’Aaron Fox to take on a larger scoring load. Devin Vassell and Luke Kornet are also expected to see more shot attempts as well.
San Antonio has dropped two of its past three games, making the timing of these injuries far from ideal. The Spurs’ depth will be tested immediately, beginning with Tuesday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies before a road game Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks. The team hopes to have Castle, Harper and Wembanyama back as soon as possible as they aim to stay competitive in a crowded Western Conference.
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