Victor Wembanyama's playmaking will be an every-night part of his game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said, but with balance: "He's still got to set screens. He's still got to put pressure on the rim." Stephon Castle said they want Wembanyama "default aggressive."
Mitch Johnson said the Spurs' Oct. 10 game fell below their standard, and with opening night on Oct. 20, it "would not feel like we would be ready to go." Stephon Castle said the message was physical defense early. Johnson gave no status on Carter Bryant's rolled ankle.
Dylan Harper started for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama: "It's not like we hadn't done it before... in practice... that worked out." Harper says a three-guard group with De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle will be "really hard to guard" but needs stops and rebounds to cover its size.
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Stephon Castle on how Spurs guards space the floor without corner shooters: "it really starts with just touching the paint and creating advantages for each other." He expects the push-off crackdown to change little but help defenders late in the clock.
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Spurs guard Stephon Castle said De'Aaron Fox is "fully back healthy" when asked if Fox played through more pain last postseason than he let on. Castle expects himself, Fox and Dylan Harper on the floor together more, so each will play more off the ball.