3 Takeaways as Castle breaks out in Spurs' rout of Warriors

1. Stephon Castle's breakout game: The Spurs' Stephon Castle had a season-best performance, scoring 32 points and hitting 5 three-pointers in the team's dominant 123-85 win over the Golden State Warriors. This marked Castle's first 30-point game of the season and his first in the regular season since March. Coach Mitch Johnson praised Castle's determination, noting that he has overcome personal obstacles to elevate his game and fit into the Spurs' lineup.

2. Warriors' disadvantage without Steph Curry: The absence of Golden State's star player, Steph Curry, who was out with a torn oblique, significantly hurt the Warriors' performance. Castle exploited the Warriors' weakened perimeter defense, shooting 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. Wembanyama contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds, and blocked two shots despite taking a few hits from Draymond Green's physical play.

3. Importance of garbage time in NBA Cup play: San Antonio's strong bench played a crucial role in the blowout victory, holding onto a 38-point cushion throughout the game. The Spurs have now extended their winning streak to 11 games, matching their longest streak since joining the team of Victor Wembanyama in 2023. In NBA Cup play, the margin of victory matters, and the Spurs' solid bench performance gave them an edge against the Warriors, who dropped to 1-1 in the tournament with a 2-0 record.