<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-insider-weighs-in-chris-paul-playing-future');   ga('set', 'title', 'Insider weighs in on Chris Paul’s playing future with Spurs');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chris-Paul.jpg"><figcaption>© Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Insider weighs in on Chris Paul’s playing future with Spurs</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-03T14:16:11-07:00">April 3rd, 2:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-03T14:16:11-07:00">April 3rd, 2:16pm</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For as great as Chris Paul is for the San Antonio Spurs, father time might be catching up to him. Although he’s been a major veteran presence for the team, the point guard is in his 20th season.</p><p>Even though <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/chris-paul-turned-back-clock-spurs-celtics">Paul turned back the clock for the Spurs</a> against the Boston Celtics, his age might be a factor. For instance, NBA on ESPN insider Brian Windhorst explained <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1907884283479437569" rel="noopener">what the veteran can do</a>.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"He's got all the options on the table… I think he could go coach in the league next year… But knowing Chris Paul, he's gonna want to be out on that court." </p><p>Brian Windhorst on CP3's future 👀</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNNBA</a>)<a href="https://t.co/q8s1CyOBb1">pic.twitter.com/q8s1CyOBb1</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1907884283479437569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“He’s got all the options on the table,” Windhorst said. “I think he could go coach in the league next year… But knowing Chris Paul, he’s gonna want to be out on that court.”</p><p>Windhorst said it beautifully. Although his playing days might be over, Paul won’t want it to be. Even if it is, many have suggested that he get into coaching.</p><p>His acumen and IQ for the game are unmatched. Throughout his career, Paul has been regarded as one of the best playmakers of his generation.</p><p>The statistics back up this claim, as well as his impact. Every team that he has been on has had quite the turnaround. He helped the Los Angeles Clippers get back into relevancy.</p><p>Furthermore, he helped Devin Booker turn into a superstar and helped the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals.</p><h2><b>This could be Chris Paul’s last season with Spurs</b></h2><p>Despite <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-chris-paul-changes-tune-retirement-plans">Paul changing his retirement plans</a>, no one truly knows what can happen. His numbers have been down since leaving the Suns. However, his impact remains the same.</p><p>He has this IQ and acumen that others don’t have. As a result, he is still is a feared presence on the court, even with his age. For instance, he can bait defenders into fouls, and knows practically every rule.</p><p>Most notably, he helped the Oklahoma City Thunder go into overtime because <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/chris-paul-untucked-jersey-thunder-timberwolves-nba-044032380.html" rel="noopener">someone’s jersey was untucked</a>. That resulted in a delay of game violation that gave the Thunder another chance to score.</p><p>That is only a microcosm of the impact Paul has on the game. With whatever his decision is, many will, and have appreciated his career.</p><p>Paul brought the floor general back to the NBA and showed that he’s one of the greatest point guards of all time. His consistency, longevity, and his feistiness are all praised.</p><p>Every team he has been to has improved because of Paul. Regardless of what happens, the Spurs will enjoy every moment they have with their extra coach on the hardwood.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Insider weighs in on Chris Paul’s playing future with Spurs

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/rookie-of-month-award-afterthought-spurs-stephon-castle');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Rookie of the Month award is an afterthought for Spurs’ Stephon Castle');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Why-Rookie-of-the-Month-award-is-an-afterthought-for-Stephon-Castle.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Rookie of the Month award is an afterthought for Spurs’ Stephon Castle</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-03T07:50:45-07:00">April 3rd, 7:50am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-03T07:50:45-07:00">April 3rd, 7:50am</time><address><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LedesmaHector">Hector Ledesma</a>Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005, but he has been following them for even longer than that. An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio, Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms. His work extends online and through social media (@HectorLedesmaTV) where he continues that work with ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Hours after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-stephon-castle-joins-victor-wembanyama-exclusive-club-second-award-win">Stephon Castle joined San Antonio Spurs royalty</a>, the rookie from UConn downplayed the honor that led to such notoriety. In winning a second Western Conference Rookie of the Month, Castle became only the fourth rookie in the rich Spurs annals to accomplish the feat. But, instead of focusing on San Antonio legends Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Victor Wembanyama, Castle instead chose to zero in on Franz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic.</p><p>“I wasn’t thinking about that coming into the game.  My mind was really just focused on the game solely,” the 20-year-old guard revealed.</p><p>The Spurs fell to the Magic 116-105 in their final contest of a three-game home stand.</p><p>“I know their team didn’t care about that at all,” Castle said of Orlando following the loss. “So, coming into the game that wasn’t really on my mind.”</p><p>The next night, Castle helped the Spurs <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR5AH3pbECI" rel="noopener">to a win</a> vs. the Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets.</p><h2><b>Stephon Castle reflects on first game after winning Rookie of the Month</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/San-Antonio-Spurs-guard-Stephon-Castle-5-looks-on-in-the-first-half-against-the-Orlando-Magic-at-Frost-Bank-Center.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Castle scored 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had six assists vs. the Magic. He registered 15 points and 15 rebounds in Denver. And while he finished third and fourth, respectively, on the team in scoring over the two nights, he guarded the opposing team’s best players — as he usually does.</p><p>“One on one, I feel like I did a pretty good job,” the fourth overall pick of this past summer’s draft said of guarding Magic standout Franz Wagner. “He got a couple of catch and shoots early.”</p><p>The victory in the Alamo City moved Orlando to three games under .500. Still, they’re among the top eight teams in the East and a lock to make the Eastern Conference Play-In.</p><p>“With a team like that when you can load up, have heavy shifts, it makes a lot easier. Really playing the numbers, guys are going to have good shooting nights. I think it was just one of those for them,” Castle said.</p><p>While Wagner and Banchero both stand 6-foot-10, the Magic point guards and wings do not. Castle took turns checking all of them.</p><p>“At this point of the season, I feel like that’s kind of expected now. At the beginning of the season, it was kind of eye opening, but with, what, seven, eight games left it’s kind of expected now. I’m about used to it,” the Covington, Georgia native revealed.</p><p>It’s a trend that continued the next night in Colorado. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-stephon-castle-reveals-specific-area-improve-amid-rookie-season">Castle considers that side of the ball the area of his game</a> in which he’s most progressed.</p><p>“Probably defensively, learning guys tendencies,” the favorite to win Rookie of the Year shared.</p><p>“I feel like in college, I just used my size and athleticism to speed guys up and get them off their spots. But, being in the league now, guys are a lot better so being able to play their tendencies and put them in positions that they don’t like to be in.”</p><p>Stands to reason. Not wanting to face Castle is becoming increasingly common nowadays.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Rookie of the Month award is an afterthought for Spurs’ Stephon Castle

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-knicks-spurs-among-5-teams-kevin-durant-has-mutual-trade-interest');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Knicks, Spurs among 5 teams Kevin Durant has ‘mutual’ trade interest with');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Knicks-Spurs-among-5-teams-Kevin-Durant-has-mutual-trade-interest-with.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Knicks, Spurs among 5 teams Kevin Durant has ‘mutual’ trade interest with</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-02T14:25:44-07:00">April 2nd, 2:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-02T15:20:23-07:00">April 2nd, 3:20pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Trade speculation surrounding Kevin Durant has intensified as the Phoenix Suns face an uncertain offseason.</p><p>According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Durant and the Suns are <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1907527747821301888" rel="noopener">expected to work together</a> on a potential trade this summer, with mutual interest already existing between the former MVP and five NBA teams: the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets.</p><p>Charania discussed the situation during Wednesday’s broadcast of NBA Today, highlighting the growing belief that Phoenix’s current core of Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker has not produced the expected results.</p><p>“Matt Ishbia, the Suns owner, has shown already in his ownership that he’s aggressive; he’s willing to make moves,” Charania said. “He’s gonna make a million swings as Suns owner, but this iteration of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker just has not worked.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reporting for NBA Today with <a href="https://twitter.com/malika_andrews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@malika_andrews</a> on the potential summer of change coming to the Phoenix Suns: <a href="https://t.co/73BB8aQdYP">pic.twitter.com/73BB8aQdYP</a></p><p>— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1907527747821301888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>He added that the Suns are expected to reshape their roster this offseason, and any changes are likely to begin with Durant.</p><p>“One thing to keep in mind, back at the NBA Trade Deadline in February, Minnesota, Miami, New York, San Antonio, and Houston were among the teams, I’m told, there was mutual interest between Durant and those teams,” Charania said. “I expect those teams and potentially others to be back in the fray this summer.”</p><h2><b>Kevin Durant’s injury, Suns’ playoff struggles fuel offseason uncertainty</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kevin-Durant-35-brings-the-ball-up-as-Minnesota-Timberwolves-guard-Anthony-Edwards-5.jpg"><figcaption>© Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Durant is under contract for one more season, and his status is expected to be a key storyline entering the offseason. According to Charania, the postseason will also play a factor as early exits could increase pressure on front offices to pursue high-impact moves.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-why-love-is-keeping-devin-booker-in-phoenix-despite-tumultuous-season">Suns, currently 35-41, are clinging to playoff hopes</a> but have lost four straight games. They sit 1.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings (36-39) for the final Play-In Tournament spot.</p><p>Phoenix will face tough challenges in the coming days, including matchups against the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, before closing the season with a potentially decisive game against the Kings on April 13.</p><p>Adding to the uncertainty, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-kevin-durant-out-one-week-ankle-injury">Durant recently suffered a left ankle sprain in a loss to the Rockets</a> and is expected to miss at least a week, according to reports. With the Suns’ postseason fate hanging in the balance, there’s growing speculation that Durant may have already played his final game with the franchise.</p><p>Despite being in his 17th NBA season, the 36-year-old remains one of the league’s most potent offensive weapons. He is currently averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% from three over 62 games.</p><h2><b>Multiple teams circling as Durant trade buzz grows</b></h2><p>Earlier this year, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/minnesota-timberwolves/timberwolves-rumors-minnesota-plans-to-make-another-kevin-durant-trade-pursuit">Minnesota Timberwolves had made an aggressive push to land Durant</a> at the trade deadline but refused to part with franchise stars Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels.</p><p>In addition to the five teams mentioned by Charania, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/how-nba-new-208-million-second-apron-impacts-trades-free-agency-siegels-scoop">Brett Siegel recently reported that the Atlanta Hawks</a> were a “surprising” team to express interest in Durant’s availability, further underscoring the league-wide attention surrounding his future.</p><p>Another team to monitor is the Dallas Mavericks, who recently traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. However, Dallas may be a less likely landing spot for Durant following Kyrie Irving’s recent ACL tear, which casts doubt on their short-term competitiveness and potential trade ambitions.</p><p>With the Suns likely heading into the offseason without a postseason berth, all signs point to Durant’s status becoming one of the most closely watched storylines of the summer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Knicks, Spurs among 5 teams Kevin Durant has ‘mutual’ trade interest with

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-honest-take-on-finishing-season-without-victor-wembanyama-deaaron-fox');   ga('set', 'title', 'Spurs’ honest take on finishing season without Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Spurs-news-San-Antonios-honest-take-on-finishing-season-without-Victor-Wembanyama-DeAaron-Fox.jpg"></figure><h1>Spurs’ honest take on finishing season without Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T21:25:18-07:00">March 31st, 9:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T21:25:18-07:00">March 31st, 9:25pm</time><address><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LedesmaHector">Hector Ledesma</a>Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005, but he has been following them for even longer than that. An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio, Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms. His work extends online and through social media (@HectorLedesmaTV) where he continues that work with ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>While the San Antonio Spurs have<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-victor-wembanyama-out-season-with-blood-clot"> been without Victor Wembanyama</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-deaaron-fox-stunning-reality-looming-surgery">De’Aaron Fox since March 13</a>, it’s a reality that may be hitting hardest a couple of weeks later. Over the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CujW4mB40rM">span of 11 days,</a> the Silver and Black have seven games against some of the top teams in the NBA, all without their two best players.</p><p>That a three-game winning streak stopped when this stretch started shouldn’t stun anyone. Frankly, that they’ve <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-mitch-johnson-calls-out-team-embarrassing-42-point-loss-warriors">lost the first four games of this gauntlet</a> shouldn’t surprise.</p><p>Asked about the forthcoming stretch, Devin Vassell admitted it’s going to be tough, especially without Wemby and Fox on the court.</p><p>“It’s tough,” Devin Vassell admitted. “They create so much for us.”</p><p>Before blood clots in his right shoulder <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-victor-wembanyamas-2-word-text-to-teammates">ended his season in mid-February</a>, Wemby was enjoying a better season than his historic Rookie of the Year campaign. His nightly averages of 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks – a stat in which he still leads the league despite not having played in a month and a half – earned the 7-foot-phenom a first All-Star nod. Fox, a 25-point-per-game scorer for the better part of the last five seasons, was getting 20 per contest in adjusting to San Antonio before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-deaaron-fox-stunning-reality-looming-surgery">his season ended in early March</a>.</p><p>“Both of them impact the game on both ends of the floor,” Vassell shared. “Vic easily could win Defensive Player of the Year this year, and the numbers that he had on the offensive end, the amount of people that he creates for and people have to double team him. Same thing with De’Aaron.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/San-Antonio-Spurs-center-Victor-Wembanyama-1-and-guard-DeAaron-Fox-4-react-during-the-second-quarter-against-the-Washington-Wizards-at-Capital-One-Arena.jpg"><figcaption>Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h2>Different Spurs are trying to pick up slack</h2><p>Without their two leading scorers, Vasell has tried to fill that void. Already the Spurs’ <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-guard-devin-vassell-rewarding-play-overshadows-recent-misfortunes">third leading scorer this year</a> before the injuries to Wemby and Fox, the former Florida State star, unsurprisingly, has led the team in that category. He’s ranked second in the previous two seasons.</p><p>“It’s been next man up,” the 11th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft said.</p><p>It’s a sentiment with which Chris Paul agrees. Both the future Hall of Fame point guard and Vassell singled out players who are trying to pick up the slack.</p><p>“Learning different guys. Blake [Wesley], obviously, has been playing a lot more,” Paul stated. “He’s been looking for good for us. Mamu [Sandro Mamukelashvili] and whatnot. It’s been an adjustment.”</p><p>One of the Spurs’ three first-round picks in 2023, Wesley was in and out of the rotation last season before spending more than half of this year on the bench. Similarly, the 6-foot-9 Mamukelashvili has found more minutes over the last several weeks.</p><p>“Whoever it’s been, whether it’s been Ju [Julian Champagnie], whether it’s been Steph [Stephon Castle] stepping up, J [Jeremy Sochan], me, C.P. [Chris Paul],” Vassell added about players who’ve taken more of the load.</p><p>Though the Spurs <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-devin-vassell-change-down-stretch-season">aren’t mathematically eliminated from Play-in contention</a> in the Western Conference, all signs – including the decision <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-deaaron-fox-reveals-date-possible-surgery-finger-injury">regarding Fox’s surgery</a> – point to the long-term future.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter who it is; everyone is ready to take that next step up. That’s what we’ve been doing,” Vassell concluded.</p><p>That next step is key. Because as the off-season looms, it could have multiple meanings for the Spurs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Spurs’ honest take on finishing season without Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-tim-duncan-appearance-warriors-game-fans-buzzing');   ga('set', 'title', 'Tim Duncan’s appearance during Spurs-Warriors game has fans buzzing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Spurs-news-Tim-Duncans-appearance-during-Warriors-game-has-fans-buzzing.jpg"></figure><h1>Tim Duncan’s appearance during Spurs-Warriors game has fans buzzing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T18:33:13-07:00">March 31st, 6:33pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T18:33:13-07:00">March 31st, 6:33pm</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It has been nearly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/13-nba-mvps-who-played-all-82-games">10 years since San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan retired</a> from the NBA. Since hanging up his sneakers, Duncan has not been in public view as often as he used to during his days in the league.</p><p>But on Sunday, the 15-time NBA All-Star showed up to support his former team during a game between the Spurs and the Golden State Warriors at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player was also with his longtime girlfriend Vanessa Macias to watch Chris Paul and company deal with the visiting Dubs squad led by Stephen Curry.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">NBA legend Tim Duncan made sure to get a front-row seat for the Steph Curry show 😅 <a href="https://t.co/tT9GKCQx2X">pic.twitter.com/tT9GKCQx2X</a></p><p>— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1906489224880410628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Of course, fans took notice of Duncan’s appearance during the game, with many sharing some hilarious reactions to his look.</p><p>“He’s definitely rocking some thong sandals 🩴 with that fit,” <a href="https://x.com/HellRell1990/status/1906546756810138024" rel="noopener">commented</a> a fan.</p><p>“Been hanging with Don Nelson in Hawaii 😉,” another one <a href="https://x.com/CoachChad27/status/1906527906513236315" rel="noopener">shared</a>.</p><p>From a <a href="https://x.com/toosmoothdee/status/1906816872739189104" rel="noopener">different X (formerly Twitter) user</a>: “Ever since he retired, he looks sad as hell. Tim Duncan look like he hate not playing basketball.”</p><p>Via another social media <a href="https://x.com/bjwc1432/status/1906596005685940526" rel="noopener">commenter</a>: “Tim was one of my favorite players he just went back to island roots if he is happy that all that matters get of his back because he don’t look like you think he should look.”</p><p>“People will probably never know that Tim Duncan is an all time great NBA player if they didn’t watch him play lol,” <a href="https://x.com/Iscrewedyou/status/1906593430618493421" rel="noopener">chimed in</a> another fan.</p><p>Now 48 years old, Duncan spent his entire pro career with the Spurs, who took him no. 1 overall in the 1997 NBA draft. In 19 years in the league, Duncan won five NBA titles and posted career averages of 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 50.6 percent from the field through 1,392 games in the regular season.</p><h2><b>Spurs lose to Warriors with Tim Duncan in attendance</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/San-Antonio-Spurs-guard-Stephon-Castle-5-dribbles-past-Golden-State-Warriors-guard-Brandin-Podziemski-2-in-the-second-half-at-Frost-Bank-Center.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Unfortunately for the Spurs, they were not able to secure a win with the all-time great in attendance, as the Warriors ran away with a 148-106 victory.</p><p>Keldon Johnson led San Antonio in scoring versus the Dubs, as he scored 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting off the bench. Sandro Mamukelashvili also came off the pine and chipped in a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Only one Spurs starter, Devin Vassell, scored in double digits against the Warriors, with the former Florida State Seminoles star producing 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-mitch-johnson-calls-out-team-embarrassing-42-point-loss-warriors">loss to the Warriors dropped San Antonio to 31-43</a> on the season. The Spurs, who are also on a four-game losing streak, will look to break out of their slump when they host Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic this Tuesday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Tim Duncan’s appearance during Spurs-Warriors game has fans buzzing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-guard-devin-vassell-rewarding-play-overshadows-recent-misfortunes');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Spurs guard Devin Vassell’s ‘rewarding’ play overshadows recent misfortunes');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/How-Devin-Vassells-rewarding-play-overshadows-recent-misfortunes.jpg"></figure><h1>How Spurs guard Devin Vassell’s ‘rewarding’ play overshadows recent misfortunes</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T12:19:43-07:00">March 31st, 12:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T12:19:43-07:00">March 31st, 12:19pm</time><address><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LedesmaHector">Hector Ledesma</a>Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005, but he has been following them for even longer than that. An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio, Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms. His work extends online and through social media (@HectorLedesmaTV) where he continues that work with ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In each of the team’s previous two complete seasons, Devin Vassell has ranked second on the San Antonio Spurs in scoring. Two years ago, the 2020 first-round draft pick trailed only Keldon Johnson. Last season, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-victor-wembanyama-immediate-reaction-to-winning-rookie-of-the-year">super rookie Victor Wembanyama</a> led the Silver and Black in that category. In every one of his four NBA seasons, the 11th overall pick of the 2020 draft increased his scoring.</p><p>After missing the first two weeks of this season because of an injury, Vassell was again second in that area through the first half of 2024-2025. When the Spurs <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-trade-grade-deaaron-fox-blockbuster">traded for star guard De’Aaron Fox</a>, Vassell’s output dropped a bit as Fox took up the mantle of Robin to Wemby’s Batman. But with both now out with injuries, much of the offensive load has fallen on the former Florida State star.</p><p>Opposing coaches have noticed.</p><p>“It’s definitely good, it’s definitely rewarding,” Vassell responded when told that Detroit Pistons head man J.B. Bickerstaff mentioned that he looked more like a lead guard.</p><p>“That’s just how I am, it’s how I want to be known and how I want to be mentioned,” the Suwanee, Georgia native continued. “I’ve just got to keep staying aggressive, keep playing confident. I’m excited, man. I’m excited for however many games we’ve got to showcase that we’re a good team. We’ve got a lot of good players, a lot of young talent. Obviously, without Vic and De’Aaron it’s tough, but I’m excited to get them guys back. I’m just excited, I’m excited for this whole thing.”</p><h2>Spurs’ Devin Vassell picks up aggression down the stretch</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/San-Antonio-Spurs-guard-Devin-Vassell-24-dribbles-up-the-court-in-the-second-half-against-the-Golden-State-Warriors-at-Frost-Bank-Center.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In a stretch of four consecutive games recently, Vassell scored at least 20 in each. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csWfuYocP94&amp;t=21s" rel="noopener">That included 26 at the Pistons</a>.</p><p>“He was aggressive. I thought he was one of the few guys in the first half who was intentionally trying to fight for spots and space. You saw that, I think he had almost half our points. He was a bright spot in the first half and even in the second half,” Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson said following that game.</p><p>“He had some plays that won’t show up in the scoring or in the box score,” Johnson continued, “But he had some physicality plays that he didn’t have when we played them in Austin. It’s another example of where he is impacting the play that doesn’t necessarily show up in the box score.”</p><p>Johnson was referencing a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-deaaron-foxs-blunt-take-finishing-season-lingering-hand-injury">February 21 loss vs. Detroit</a> in the Texas state capitol. It was the team’s second game after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-victor-wembanyamas-2-word-text-to-teammates">Wembanyama’s season-ending diagnosis</a>. An ensuing slump occurred before Vassell and the Spurs won three straight in mid March.</p><p>“Even with them two out, we’ve been playing some really good basketball,” Vassell said, alluding to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-deaaron-fox-stunning-reality-looming-surgery">Fox’s prolonged absence</a>, which had started a week and a half before those comments.</p><p>Like several around the organization and some around the NBA, the fifth-year guard sees the young Spurs potential.</p><p>“I think we’ve got a really special thing going on right now.”</p><p>The same could apply to Vassell these days. How it <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-devin-vassell-change-down-stretch-season">translates going forward</a> could determine if the Spurs turn out toe be special.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Spurs guard Devin Vassell’s ‘rewarding’ play overshadows recent misfortunes

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-mitch-johnson-calls-out-team-embarrassing-42-point-loss-warriors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Spurs’ Mitch Johnson calls out team after embarrassing 42-point loss to Warriors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Mitch-Johnson-calls-out-team-after-embarrassing-42-point-loss-to-Warriors.jpg"></figure><h1>Spurs’ Mitch Johnson calls out team after embarrassing 42-point loss to Warriors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T04:35:36-07:00">March 31st, 4:35am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T04:35:36-07:00">March 31st, 4:35am</time><address><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LedesmaHector">Hector Ledesma</a>Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005, but he has been following them for even longer than that. An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio, Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms. His work extends online and through social media (@HectorLedesmaTV) where he continues that work with ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Following a full time-out just four minutes and 23 seconds into a contest vs. the Golden State Warriors, the overwhelming majority of the San Antonio Spurs who walked onto the court had not yet set foot on it. Two of those four players have only recently found their way into the team’s rotation—mainly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-deaaron-fox-stunning-reality-looming-surgery">because of key injuries</a>—and another one of them still doesn’t play much. All of them joined a fellow reserve who had already been subbed in. For acting head coach Mitch Johnson, though, it wasn’t about X’s and O’s.</p><p>“For us, we have to be better,” Spurs veteran forward Harrison Barnes said. “Mitch called us out, and I thought the group that came in responded with more energy.”</p><p>When Sandro Mamukelashvili, Blake Wesley, Jordan McLaughlin, and Julian Champagnie entered the game following what was already a second time-out called by the Spurs less than four and a half minutes from tip-off, it was what it appeared to be.</p><p>“Just trying to get some energy, grab some guys attention,” Johnson confirmed.</p><p>Down 11 to 5 with 8:47 still to go in the first quarter, the 38-year-old coach called time. One minute and ten seconds later, Johnson stopped the clock again so that he could <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-keldon-johnson-honest-mitch-johnson-assessment-gregg-popovich-absence">communicate with his team beyond words</a>.</p><p>“We were trying to keep our grips on the game as early as we can to just get settled,” he admitted.</p><p>It proved not to matter in the end of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CujW4mB40rM" rel="noopener">148-106 loss</a>.</p><h2>Mitch Johnson sends message to Spurs amid tough weekend</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/San-Antonio-Spurs-acting-head-coach-Mitch-Johnson.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Spurs headed into the match-up with the Warriors <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/chris-paul-turned-back-clock-spurs-celtics">less than 21 hours after having competed with the Boston Celtics</a> in the final quarter at the Frost Bank Center. Tired legs may have been a reason for the sluggish start vs. Golden State. Stephon Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and company certainly played a part. Either way, Barnes understood what Johnson’s motive was behind taking him, Stephon Castle, Chris Pau,l and Devin Vassell out with 7:37 remaining in the first quarter after fellow starter Jeremy Sochan had been lifted a minute before.</p><p>“That we need to play hard,” is how Barnes responded when asked what signal Johnson may have been trying to send with the hockey style substitution.</p><p>“As starters, you start off the game, and there’s a lag, and that sets the tone,” the 32-year-old forward continued.</p><p>Only one Spurs starter finished with more than nine points (at that, Vassell scored 12) for a squad that stood at 31-43 after the blowout. Conversely, four reserves reached double figures, including three of the aforementioned players who entered the game very early.</p><p>“Yeah,” Johnson stated about the messaging aspect of his move while also specifying a certain aspect.</p><p>“It wasn’t anything individually. You know, it was a hard fought game last night, the team we were playing tonight, we knew there was zero margin for error.”</p><p>The loss to Golden State represented San Antonio’s most lopsided loss of the season, surpassing a 38-point drubbing in February at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in France. That one followed a Spurs win against those same Pacers in Paris. This one marked a fourth straight loss <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-devin-vassell-change-down-stretch-season">as they limp to the finish line</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Spurs’ Mitch Johnson calls out team after embarrassing 42-point loss to Warriors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-stephon-castle-reveals-specific-area-improve-amid-rookie-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Spurs’ Stephon Castle reveals specific area he wants to improve on amid rookie season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Stephon-Castle-reveals-specific-area-he-wants-to-improve-on-amid-rookie-season.jpg"></figure><h1>Spurs’ Stephon Castle reveals specific area he wants to improve on amid rookie season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T04:27:19-07:00">March 31st, 4:27am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T04:27:19-07:00">March 31st, 4:27am</time><address><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LedesmaHector">Hector Ledesma</a>Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005, but he has been following them for even longer than that. An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio, Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms. His work extends online and through social media (@HectorLedesmaTV) where he continues that work with ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In a stretch of four consecutive games that pitted the San Antonio Spurs against teams that are firmly entrenched in the NBA playoff picture, their standout rookie Stephon Castle has continued to shine.</p><p>Versus the Detroit Pistons, the former UConn Husky scored 19 points. At the Cleveland Cavaliers, he put in 22 points. Against the defending champion Boston Celtics, he again registered 22. And in just 22 minutes vs. the Golden State Warriors, he scored nine in a game that saw the Spurs total just 106 in their most lopsided loss of the season.</p><p>For the season, Castle has 22 contests in which he’s scored at least 20. No other rookie has even half as many games.</p><p>The 20-year-old guard has moved the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-stephon-castle-exclusive-tim-duncan-club">Rookie of the Year race</a> to a point where his chances of winning the award need to transition from <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-stephon-castle-revealing-take-tracking-rookie-year-race">“favorite” and “likely”</a> to inevitable.</p><p>Even still, when asked by ClutchPoints about what’s proven a worthy first season, the Covington, Georgia native took time to <a href="https://x.com/HectorLedesmaTV/status/1906367229634949416" rel="noopener">focus on what he’s not yet doing</a>.</p><p>“Going into next year, something I want to continue to get better on is efficiency. Stuff like that, keeping my turnover numbers down.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Talked w/Stephon Castle about his continued offensive output. W/22 last night, it was his 22nd game w/20+ pts this season. No other <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> rookie has half as many such games</p><p>Constantly looking forward…</p><p>“Something I want to continue to get better on is efficiency”</p><p>Full answer⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/nAE9hepAAL">pic.twitter.com/nAE9hepAAL</a></p><p>— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/HectorLedesmaTV/status/1906367229634949416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It’s not a surprising answer from a young man who’s downplayed the Rookie of the Year race since he’s taken its center stage.</p><h2>Stephon Castle reflects on  rookie season</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/San-Antonio-Spurs-guard-Stephon-Castle-5-dribbles-past-Golden-State-Warriors-guard-Brandin-Podziemski-2-in-the-second-half-at-Frost-Bank-Center.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>ClutchPoints asked Castle a couple of questions about a season that’s seen him average about 14 and a half points, nearly four assists and almost three and a half rebounds per contest.</p><p>“Honestly, I don’t know,” last year’s national champion at Connecticut admitted.</p><p>“Just really playing my game, honestly. Not really trying to look at that too much,” Castle continued. “I feel like it just comes with it. I feel like a lot of that comes from my teammates setting me up, putting me in good positions, getting me the ball in the right spots. My ability to draw fouls has also helped me in getting to the free throw line, getting easier buckets.”</p><p>While the Pistons and Warriors are both in the middle of their respective playoff pictures, the Cavaliers and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/chris-paul-turned-back-clock-spurs-celtics">Celtics are at the top of the Eastern Conference</a> standings. All of them are headed to the playoffs. And against them, Castle’s game met the match-ups.</p><p>“I feel like my confidence level doesn’t really drop depending on who’s on the court,” the NBA Rising Star said. “I feel like, at the end of the day, it’s still basketball, you’ve still got to go out there and compete. I look at it as a blessing, an opportunity to be able to share the court with those guys every day, do what we love to do. I wouldn’t shy away from those kinds of moments.”</p><p>The fourth overall pick of this past summer’s NBA draft, the Spurs <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-2024-nba-draft-grades-for-stephon-castle-timberwolves-trade">hoped Castle would prove a key piece</a> of their future.</p><p>“Just reflecting on the year. I feel like it’s been a good year. It could have been better.”</p><p>From Castle’s mouth to the ears of opponents for seasons to come, it’s a frightening thought.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Spurs’ Stephon Castle reveals specific area he wants to improve on amid rookie season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/chris-paul-turned-back-clock-spurs-celtics');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Spurs’ Chris Paul turned back clock vs. Celtics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/How-Chris-Paul-turned-back-clock-vs.-Celtics-works-here.jpg"></figure><h1>How Spurs’ Chris Paul turned back clock vs. Celtics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-30T08:46:29-07:00">March 30th, 8:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-30T08:47:29-07:00">March 30th, 8:47am</time><address><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LedesmaHector">Hector Ledesma</a>Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005, but he has been following them for even longer than that. An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio, Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms. His work extends online and through social media (@HectorLedesmaTV) where he continues that work with ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs were hanging around with the defending champion Boston Celtics down the stretch, Chris Paul put his team on his shoulders. With 8:17 remaining in the contest and his Spurs threatening to get what had consistently been a 15-point deficit since the third quarter into single digits, the future Hall of Famer hit a jumper that closed the difference to nine.</p><p>They would represent the first of 10 points Paul would score over the next three minutes.</p><p>ClutchPoints asked the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/chris-paul-revealing-take-not-playing-spurs-legendary-coach-gregg-popovich">12-time All-Star</a> if that personal run came within the flow of the game based on what the Celtics were doing defensively or if he made a conscious decision to attack.</p><p>“It used to happen a lot more often,” Paul responded as he answered the question. “That was the flow of the game. It’s fun to do that.”</p><p>Paul had scored only two other points prior to that flurry — none in the first half — and he didn’t score again in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oGmpittd9U" rel="noopener">121-111 loss to the second-best team</a>, record-wise, in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>“Just trying to to figure out when I can pick my spots for our team as well as pay attention to the game,” the 39-year-old guard added.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Spurs postgame</p><p>Talked with Chris Paul about those 10 straight points in the fourth quarter of tonight’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Spurs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Spurs</a> loss to the Celtics…</p><p>“…it used to happen a lot more often…”</p><p>Full answer⬇️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoSpursGo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoSpursGo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PorVida?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PorVida</a> <a href="https://t.co/oV9IPkPzBG">pic.twitter.com/oV9IPkPzBG</a></p><p>— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/HectorLedesmaTV/status/1906190317516128301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Chris Paul continues to teach off the court as well</b></h2><p>Paul’s 35 minutes vs. Boston ranked second behind the team’s active leading scorer this season, Devin Vassell. The Spurs are finishing out the year <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-victor-wembanyamas-2-word-text-to-teammates">without centerpiece Victor Wembanyama</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-deaaron-fox-stunning-reality-looming-surgery">recently acquired star De’Aaron Fox, both out</a> with injuries.</p><p>“We’ve been trying to constantly continue learning the guys,” Paul admitted in discussing the new rotations that come as a result.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-stephon-castle-teammates-sound-off-definite-rookie-of-the-year-chances">Standout rookie Stephon Castle</a> scored 22 points in helping San Antonio compete with the NBA’s defending champions who have perennially been among the league’s best for the better part of a decade.</p><p>“I talked to Steph a lot, I talked to the guys. These plays and these games against teams like this, you realize the last five minutes are not like the rest of the game,” Paul revealed.</p><p>“The offense that you run, the pace that you had for the first three and a half quarters change this close to the end. And that’s the benefit of having continuity, guys who know where each other is going to be and that’s what we’ve got to build toward,” the 39-year-old point guard continued.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/San-Antonio-Spurs-guard-Chris-Paul.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Statistically, the Silver and Black have ranked as a top offense since the All-Star Break, even with the absences of Wemby and Fox. Though the Spurs didn’t shoot particularly well vs. the Celtics at 44% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc, that didn’t pose their biggest issue.</p><p>“Offense has been really good. I think the trust has been something we’ve had to build on. That’s what we’re trying to do. There’s been a lot of different lineups and what not. The issue has been trying to get timely stops,” Paul concluded.</p><p>Accurately noted. Even with his outburst, the Spurs got no closer than eight points in the final five minutes vs. the Celtics. It was just another reminder of the reality for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-chris-paul-supplants-jason-kidd-no-2-all-time-steals-leader">legendary point guard</a>, who’s finishing out his 20th NBA season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Spurs’ Chris Paul turned back clock vs. Celtics

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/chris-paul-revealing-take-not-playing-spurs-legendary-coach-gregg-popovich');   ga('set', 'title', 'Chris Paul’s revealing take about not playing for Spurs legend Gregg Popovich');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Chris-Pauls-revealing-take-about-not-playing-for-Spurs-legend-Gregg-Popovich.jpg"></figure><h1>Chris Paul’s revealing take about not playing for Spurs legend Gregg Popovich</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-28T13:42:35-07:00">March 28th, 1:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-28T13:44:00-07:00">March 28th, 1:44pm</time><address><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LedesmaHector">Hector Ledesma</a>Hector Ledesma has been covering the Spurs in San Antonio since 2005, but he has been following them for even longer than that. An award-winning journalist born and raised in San Antonio, Hector has worked across all types of television and radio platforms. His work extends online and through social media (@HectorLedesmaTV) where he continues that work with ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A conversation with Gregg Popovich proved vital in Chris Paul’s decision to join the San Antonio Spurs. It turns out, the future Hall-of-Famer played just a handful of games for the Hall-of-Fame coach. Literally.</p><p>Though the NBA’s all-time winningest coach kept the door open to a return before season’s end and though an official announcement didn’t come until almost four full months later,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-gregg-popovich-breaks-silence-after-suffering-stroke-november"> a mild stroke on November 2 ended Popovich’s season</a>.</p><p>“It’s tough. It’s tough man. As people always say, life is life-ing. Things happen,” Paul said.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/spurs-news-chris-paul-signing-forces-keldon-johnson-jersey-number-change">In signing with the Spurs as a free agent ahead of his 20th NBA season</a>, the 12-time All-Star pointed to his conversation with “Pop” in signing with a developing team as opposed to a championship contender.</p><p>As it turned out, Paul played five games before Popovich went out.</p><p>“Things happen that are bigger than the game. My relationship with Pop goes way beyond whether or not he gets the chance to coach me. Just getting a chance to see him the other day was special,” Paul continued in alluding to a recent team meeting with the longest tenured coach in the league.</p><p>“A lot of things aren’t ideal. We didn’t know that Vic would have the situation he’s had and all the different things,” <a href="https://x.com/HectorLedesmaTV/status/1898110909580820729" rel="noopener">he added</a> in mentioning Victor Wembanyama’s season-ending injury.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked Chris Paul about Pop &amp; hardly getting the chance to play for him this season after their convo played a pivotal role in getting CP3 to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Spurs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Spurs</a> </p><p>“My relationship with Pop goes way beyond whether or not he gets the chance to coach me”</p><p>Full answer⬇️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoSpursGo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoSpursGo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PorVida?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PorVida</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qccu5ayGMF">pic.twitter.com/Qccu5ayGMF</a></p><p>— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/HectorLedesmaTV/status/1898110909580820729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Chris Paul and Gregg Popovich’s back and forth</b></h2><p>Long known for sarcasm and dry wit, Popovich combined them with truth when discussing the team’s acquisition the 39-year-old point guard.</p><p>The Spurs beat Paul when he was with the New Orleans Hornets in a tough playoff series that went all seven games in 2007. They swept his Los Angeles Clippers in 2012. The 11-time All-Pro won his third and final postseason meeting with what’s now his current team, leading “Lob City” to a seven-game victory in 2015. All of their matchups came in the Western Conference Semifinals.</p><p>“I’ve despised Chris for many years. It was difficult to play against him because he’s a clever, clever, clever player. His IQ is off the charts,” Pop said. “It was always difficult because he’s thinking ahead of us coaches. You hate to play against him, but you respect the hell out of him.”</p><p>Paul’s response?</p><p>“Yeah, it’s mutual.”</p><p>When joining the Spurs, Paul made it clear that while perhaps coaching was in is future, it wasn’t his immediate plan.</p><p>“I was talking to my wife because I have always said I would never coach. But just thinking about it, I don’t know. Trying to figure it out,” Paul continued. “My wife and friends are always telling me I have so much knowledge and love for the game that I could coach. But I also think about being a dad because I have missed so much of my kids’ lives. So, yeah, I don’t know.”</p><p>Though Paul may have missed out on another father figure in the form of Popovich, don’t tell him he’s missed out.</p><p>“There’s a lot of gratitude that comes with just being able to go out and continue to compete and that’s how I feel.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Chris Paul’s revealing take about not playing for Spurs legend Gregg Popovich

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/nba-rumors-could-spurs-pull-off-kevin-durant-trade-heist-with-suns');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Could Spurs pull off Kevin Durant trade heist with Suns?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Could-Spurs-pull-off-Kevin-Durant-trade-heist-with-Suns.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Could Spurs pull off Kevin Durant trade heist with Suns?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-28T12:05:56-07:00">March 28th, 12:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-28T12:05:56-07:00">March 28th, 12:05pm</time><address><a>Randall Barnes</a>Randall Barnes is a Fall 2019 Graduate of Fort Valley State University, an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) in Fort Valley, Georgia, where he majored in Media Studies. He is the Founder of HBCU Pulse, a multimedia outlet with the mission to tell the authentic stories of HBCU Life via traditional, digital and social media outlets to amplify our voice. He is also the host of HBCU Pulse Radio, which can be heard on SiriusXM Channel 142 HBCU Fridays at 5 p.m. EST and wherever you get your podcasts.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Even during an insane NBA trade deadline that saw a few of the NBA’s biggest stars on the move, Kevin Durant stayed put with the Phoenix Suns. Although it appeared that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/suns-news-kevin-durant-sets-record-straight-warriors-trade">Durant was headed towards a reunion with the Golden State Warriors</a>, the two-time NBA Champion remained with the Suns as the team hunts for a playoff spot amid a season that has underperformed expectations thus far.</p><p>But, per ClutchPoints Senior NBA Insider Brett Siegel, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/how-nba-new-208-million-second-apron-impacts-trades-free-agency-siegels-scoop">San Antonio Spurs should be viewed as a dark-horse suitor for Durant</a>, given the assets that they have on their roster.</p><p>“One dark-horse team worth mentioning in connection to Durant is the San Antonio Spurs. After just making a big move to pair De’Aaron Fox with Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are poised to make even more moves this offseason. Devin Vassell is a young talent who has come up in early conversations about possible trade candidates around the NBA this offseason, and there is a lot to like about the 24-year-old wing. He will be entering Year 2 of a five-year extension he signed with San Antonio that sits below $30 million per season. The only reason Vassell has yet to break out for the Spurs is due to multiple injury concerns over the last two years,” Siegel said in his latest “Siegel Report”.</p><p>Sigel also mentioned that Barnes could be a potential piece in a blockbuster trade of this magnitude, <a href="https://x.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1904581353347096647" rel="noopener">which could result</a> in the second time that Barnes &amp; Durant are indirectly linked in a off-season transaction.</p><p>“Veteran forward Harrison Barnes will also be entering the final year of his contract and making $19 million next season, making him a means for the Spurs possibly finding other upgrades as well. Barnes is a well-respected member of the organization who has been valued for leadership and accountability in the locker room this season.”</p><p>If the Spurs were able to land Durant, it could shake the NBA landscape. The former MVP is still performing at an All-NBA level, averaging 26.9 points per game while shooting 53% from the field and 43% from three. His addition to the team could form a formidable tandem between him, De’Aaron Fox, and Victor Wembanyama that would automatically make them contenders in the west with only a few teams in the entire league able to match their versatility and firepower.</p><p>But, as of now, Durant continues to help the Suns fight for playoff positioning as the season draws to a close. But, the offseason could very well be interesting as his future continues to come into focus.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Could Spurs pull off Kevin Durant trade heist with Suns?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-cleveland-win-spurs-jarrett-allen-dominates');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jarrett Allen’s dominance without Evan Mobley elevates Cavs past Spurs');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/arrett-Allens-dominance-without-Evan-Mobley-elevates-Cleveland-past-Spurs-.jpg"></figure><h1>Jarrett Allen’s dominance without Evan Mobley elevates Cavs past Spurs</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-28T09:03:20-07:00">March 28th, 9:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-28T09:03:20-07:00">March 28th, 9:03am</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t easy. But the Cleveland Cavaliers, shorthanded and tested, found a way. With Evan Mobley <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-rest-routine-before-playoffs-hits-evan-mobley-vs-spurs">watching Cleveland from the sidelines</a> and Tristan Thompson ejected, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-face-test-of-focus-not-fireworks-vs-victor-wembanyama-less-spurs">Cavs had every excuse to stumble</a> against a relentless San Antonio Spurs squad. Instead, they dug deep, leaned on their depth, and got a monster performance from Jarrett Allen to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401705625/spurs-cavaliers" rel="noopener">secure a hard-fought</a> 124-116 home victory.</p><p>This was a game defined by swings. The Cavs built a comfortable 16-point lead early, only to see it evaporate in a chaotic third quarter littered with officiating stoppages and momentum-killing calls. Playing with nothing to lose, San Antonio fought its way to an 81-79 lead, forcing Cleveland to respond.</p><p>And they did, led by Allen, their gentlest giant.</p><h2><b>Jarrett Allen took over in the fourth quarter for the Cavs</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jarrett-Allen-during-Cavs-Spurs.jpg"><figcaption>David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>For much of the first half, Allen was quiet. The 6-foot-9 center played 14 minutes, attempted just two shots, and seemed disengaged. His energy was low, his involvement minimal. But when the Cavs needed him most, he answered emphatically.</p><p>With Mobley in street clothes and Thompson ejected after a flagrant 2 foul, Allen became the sole rim protector and interior presence. And in the fourth quarter, he transformed into an unstoppable force. He punished the Spurs’ small-ball lineup, scoring 19 of his 29 points in the final frame, going a perfect 6-of-6 from the field.</p><p>“[The] number one key to our victory tonight was Jarrett Allen,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I don’t know how he does it energy-wise.”</p><p>Allen’s dominance was punctuated by a ferocious putback dunk off an offensive rebound, giving the Cavs a five-point lead with under five minutes remaining. He also grabbed 15 rebounds, securing his 38th double-double of the season.</p><p>His impact wasn’t just felt on the scoreboard. Allen’s defensive presence altered shots and forced San Antonio into tough looks late in the game. He outmuscled the Spurs’ undersized frontcourt and refused to let Cleveland be bullied inside.</p><h2><b>Cleveland’s depth helped determine victory</b></h2><p>Cleveland’s depth was tested, and it delivered. With the starters shouldering a heavy load, the Cavs’ reserves provided the necessary spark to keep the game from slipping away.</p><p>Sam Merrill played a pivotal role, finishing with 13 points, including three timely three-pointers that helped swing momentum back in Cleveland’s favor. De’Andre Hunter added 14, including seven in the first quarter, setting the tone early.</p><p>Javonte Green’s impact, though less obvious in the box score, was undeniable. He hit a clutch three-pointer late in the game and had a crucial tip-out for an offensive rebound, helping extend a key possession in the fourth quarter.</p><p>“He’s gotta be a pinch hitter. He’s gotta come in and get an extra possession, get us a rebound,” Atkinson said after the game. “He’s a winner. He knows what we need, he knows his role, and his athleticism is unique.”</p><p>Isaac Okoro also made the most of his minutes, finishing with nine points and four rebounds. His defensive intensity was crucial, yet in the deep Cavs rotation, tough choices had to be made.</p><p>“Isaac probably deserved to finish, but he didn’t,” Atkinson admitted. “These are really hard decisions, but I’m constantly talking to the team. You have to be selfless and you have to support your teammate and have a positive spirit.”</p><h2><b>Don’t forget about Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell!</b></h2><p>Mitchell was the catalyst when the Cavs needed him most. He started the game in a facilitator role, ensuring his teammates got quality looks. But when the Spurs surged ahead in the third quarter, he flipped the switch.</p><p>Mitchell finished with 25 points, a career-high 14 assists, and eight rebounds, proving why he’s the Cavs’ go-to leader in crunch time.</p><p>When San Antonio briefly took control, Mitchell orchestrated Cleveland’s response. He drove into the lane, found Merrill cutting for an easy layup, then kicked out to the sharpshooter for a three on the next possession.</p><p>“It changed the game. Because we started out poorly,” Atkinson said of Mitchell’s facilitating. “[Mitchell’s] stint was not good, his first stint, and in that second stint he came in, they packed the paint, I mean, extreme paint packing, and he just started spraying the ball around. Once he got it out of their tight shell, then we started making decisions behind that, and that kind of broke the game out. So his understanding, his reading of the game is elite. It changed the game.”</p><p>Then, with the crowd desperate for a spark, Mitchell provided one. Charging into the paint, he elevated for an emphatic dunk, igniting Rocket Arena and shifting momentum squarely in Cleveland’s favor heading into the fourth quarter.</p><h2><b>Even with the win, Cleveland is focused on the bigger picture</b></h2><p>The Cavs showed resilience down the stretch, closing the game on a strong defensive stand. In the final four minutes, Cleveland held the Spurs to just seven points, clamping down when it mattered most.</p><p>But despite the win, the team knows they can’t afford to wait until the fourth quarter to play their best basketball.</p><p>“You got to be playing your best basketball going in the playoffs,” Max Strus said. “You don’t just want to wake up when it’s time to wake up.</p><p>“We need to start figuring out what it is that we need to do to play our best basketball and be our best selves going into April and May. … I think everybody in here knows that and got that message, and we’re gonna try our best to figure that out for these last nine games.”</p><p>With just nine games left in the regular season, Cleveland continues its pursuit of playoff readiness. They’ve proven they can win ugly, battle adversity, and rely on their depth. But as Strus and others have emphasized, they want to be more than just a tough team—they want to be a dominant one.</p><p>For now, they’ll take the win, learn from the lapses, and prepare for the next challenge. If nothing else, Thursday proved one thing: No Mobley, no problem—when Allen, Mitchell, and the Cavs’ bench step up, they can still find ways to win.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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Spurs News: Get the latest San Antonio Spurs news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

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