Stephon Castle’s late jump shot and free throws keep the Spurs alive in the NBA Finals

The NBA Finals came down to one stretch, and Stephon Castle handled it the way young players dream about doing it and veterans are supposed to. In Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, with San Antonio facing the kind of hole that turns a series into a sprint toward the exit, Castle hit a late 3-pointer and followed it with critical free throws in the final seconds. The result, as the CBS Sports account framed it, was that the Spurs “didn’t die,” buying another day and another home stretch in the series against the Knicks.

The urgency was not subtle. San Antonio entered Game 3 already down 2-0, and the stakes were highest for teams that have not yet found their playoff rhythm on the road. Victor Wembanyama’s performance was described as a requirement, and CBS reported that he did deliver, providing the gravity that let San Antonio create the possession Castle needed. In the closing sequence, Wembanyama attempted to work the ball against Karl-Anthony Towns, then the play unfolded into an awkward-looking pass to Castle, who was asked to finish at full speed when the shot clock was running out.

That made Castle’s response more notable. The same CBS report portrayed the moment as the kind of bailout a young bench scorer would typically fear, not embrace, but Castle did not appear rushed. CBS also described a clutch tone to his night beyond the final two minutes, noting that he was effectively the Spurs’ pressure valve when the game tightened.

Castle finished with 23 points, along with five rebounds and five assists, according to CBS Sports. Age and experience were part of the framing. At 21, the game-sealing sequence carried the weight of an elimination game, and CBS suggested Castle seemed comfortable with the responsibility rather than overwhelmed by it.

The free-throw detail was equally specific. With 6.8 seconds remaining and the Spurs lead reduced to two points, Castle went to the line for two critical attempts. CBS reported that his season free-throw percentage was 73.4% and that he has improved to 81.1% in the playoffs, numbers that mattered more in practice than in theory when the Knicks had almost no margin to foul without paying for it.

For the Knicks, the late moments became a referendum on composure. If the series had earlier suggested New York could turn San Antonio’s road struggles into a quick series sweep, Game 3 offered a different narrative, one in which the Spurs found just enough stability from the person most trusted to make something out of very little time.

What to watch next is how San Antonio manages those same late-game choices without needing a perfect storm. Castle’s ability to hit the 3 and knock down free throws gives the Spurs a clearer closing identity, and Wembanyama’s ability to force help and create workable touches at the end of games remains the foundation. For New York, the question is whether it can prevent the same kind of entry and decision-making that opened the final sequence, or whether the Spurs’ young core is now set for a longer push.

Still, there is a caveat: one Game 3 performance can look like a turning point, but Finals adjustments are quick. The Spurs will need the same mix of poise and execution on another night, and the Knicks will likely test different matchups and defensive coverages to see whether Castle’s late efficiency can be repeated or answered. The immediate title picture shifts because San Antonio is no longer boxed into a “now or never” scenario in the next game, but the broader series story is not finished.