The San Antonio Spurs are absolutely rolling right now, sitting at a sweet 5-2 record and riding a five-game winning streak. That’s a phenomenal start in the early NBA season! But hold up, because ESPN analyst Kenny Smith just poured a big bucket of skepticism all over their hot streak. During “Inside the NBA” on Wednesday, Smith openly questioned whether the Spurs’ current three-guard starting lineup can actually keep this momentum going for the long haul.
Smith’s Bomb Drops on “Inside the NBA”
Smith’s concern centers squarely on the sustainability of the lineup featuring De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper all starting together. He didn’t mince words, flat out stating, “I don’t know if that’s sustainable, honestly.” His core argument? Even with these three guards being “really, really good,” the lineup fundamentally “lack[s] size.” You gotta wonder if this early success is masking a deeper issue that bigger, more physical teams will exploit as the season wears on.
Castle’s Catch-22: Too Big for Guard, Too Small for Forward?
The biggest head-scratcher for Smith seems to be Stephon Castle’s role. Castle’s physicality and athleticism are a huge asset, no doubt. But with three guards on the floor, he’s being tasked with playing more minutes at small forward. That means he’s constantly banging against bigger opponents and taking on extra rebounding duties. Smith made it clear: “Instead of having Castle running in and using his athleticism to get rebounds, he’s boxing out to go get it.” He argues Castle’s strength is best leveraged at shooting guard, where he dominates smaller players. “I like when Castle’s playing the guard spot and not the three, because he’s so physical,” Smith said. “There’s not a lot of two guards in the league [like him].” It’s a tough spot for the Spurs: do you keep winning with this formula, or do you shift things around to put your guys in their “best” positions, even if it means changing a winning lineup?
Tonight, the Spurs get another chance to prove Kenny Smith wrong, or at least show that this lineup can adapt. They’re facing off against the Dallas Mavericks in a nationally televised home game. It’s a major test, and every possession will be under the microscope as fans and analysts alike watch to see if this three-guard magic can truly last.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply