Stephon Castle expected Madison Square Garden to provide one of the most intimidating atmospheres of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2026 playoff run. Instead, the young guard described the environment during Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks as “underwhelming.”
Speaking to GQ, Castle recalled the Spurs’ first Finals game at Madison Square Garden in 27 years, when San Antonio entered Game 3 trailing the Knicks 2-0 but took an early lead.
“It was underwhelming in that first game,” Castle said. “They made it seem like it was going to be way crazier in there.”
Castle also compared the atmosphere at MSG with what the Spurs experienced during their Western Conference Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“At times during the previous series against the Thunder,” Castle said, “OKC was way louder than MSG.”
San Antonio had already defied expectations by reaching the NBA Finals, with its young core helping the team eliminate the Thunder before facing New York. The Spurs became the second-youngest team in NBA history to reach the Finals, behind only the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers.
Castle was 21 years old during the Finals, while rookie Dylan Harper was 20. Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ centerpiece, was 22 and had already established himself as one of the league’s leading two-way players.
Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks in 64 regular-season games, earning All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team honors while finishing third in MVP voting and first in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Castle also played a major role in San Antonio’s postseason run. He averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 23 playoff games while shooting 45.9% from the field and 35.0% from three-point range.
Harper added 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game during the playoffs after averaging 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists during the regular season.
The Spurs ultimately lost the NBA Finals to the Knicks in five games, but their postseason run marked a significant step for a roster built around young players. Castle, Wembanyama and Harper were all making their first deep playoff runs, with Castle and Harper experiencing the unique atmosphere of the Finals at some of basketball’s most famous venues.
