Two of the NBA playoffs’ closest contests collided again on Friday night, as the San Antonio Spurs punched their ticket to the Western Conference finals with a 139-109 dismantling of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 6, while the Detroit Pistons kept their extraordinary series alive by routing the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 to force Game 7 on Sunday.
Castle ignites Spurs in historic performance
San Antonio’s backcourt trio announced themselves to the wider basketball world at the Paycom Center, with Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper combining for the performance of the playoffs as the Spurs reached the conference finals for the first time since 2017.
Castle led all scorers with 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, matching a career high with five three-pointers and shooting 7-of-9 in a scintillating first quarter alone.
Fox added 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, and Harper chipped in 15 on 6-of-8. Between them, the trio accounted for 58.2% of San Antonio’s scoring through three quarters and shot 23-of-30 from the field, connecting on nine of the Spurs’ postseason-record 18 three-pointers on the night.
Victor Wembanyama finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three blocks, quietly adding to a postseason record that now places him alongside David Robinson as the only players to post at least 200 points, 100 rebounds and 40 blocks through their first 10 career postseason games.
Wembanyama himself was full of praise for Castle.
“There’s no other way to fight that than just fight it with physicality. He was amazing. Just the composure to make the late choice and to push the defence in as far as they can go to take care of our strengths. He shot the ball when he should have, made the shots, and passed when he should have passed it.”
Castle became the fifth player in Spurs history to post 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a clinching game, joining Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, David Robinson and George Gervin.
Fox, the veteran presence in the trio at 28, reflected on what it means to be in the same locker room as two of the most exciting young guards in the league.
“Having guys who are this talented and have watched me throughout my career, then we get to be in the same locker room, get to be on the court together, it’s something that I love. I want them to feel that success from as early as you can get it in your career because you never know when those things can come back around.”
San Antonio face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals from Monday, with Game 1 at the Paycom Center.
Pistons refuse to die and force Game 7
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers squandered a chance to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2018, as the Pistons produced another survival masterclass in a 115-94 win to force Game 7 on Sunday in Detroit.
It was Detroit’s fourth elimination game win of these playoffs – the most by any team since the Boston Celtics in 2023 – and the fourth consecutive time they have responded when facing the exit.
Their defensive performance was extraordinary. The Cavaliers shot 29% in the second half and under 40% for the game, overwhelmed by a physicality the Pistons have made their identity.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points and five three-pointers. Jalen Duren posted 15 points and 11 rebounds. Paul Reed delivered 17 points off the bench, Duncan Robinson – returning from a lower back injury that had kept him out of Game 5 – knocked down four threes for 14 points, and Ausar Thompson contributed across every category with 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff singled out the character of his group over substance. “They just don’t quit. The resolve that they have. The belief that they have in one another. They just have the ability to bounce back mentally where they don’t hang on to things.”
For Cleveland, the performance was deeply frustrating. James Harden scored 23 points but committed eight turnovers and was never able to impose himself on the game at the decisive moments. Donovan Mitchell shot 6-of-20 for 18 points.
“We never really kicked it to that second level,” Harden said. “And we needed to get to that third and fourth level. It was never just a consistent flow at either end of the ball, which is frustrating, but can’t do nothing about it. We got to start focusing our mind for one game on the road.”
Game 7 is Sunday night in Detroit. Whoever survives faces the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
