On a Friday night with two huge Game 6 battles, the Detroit Pistons avoided elimination by out-shooting the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the San Antonio Spurs blew out the Minnesota Timberwolves to earn a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
Here are the winners and losers from a decisive night of NBA playoff basketball.
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle may only be in his second NBA season and his first playoffs, but the 21-year-old guard wasn’t fazed by the prospect of a closeout game on the road. In front of a raucous Minneapolis crowd, Castle led the Spurs with 32 points and 11 rebounds, sinking three-pointers and delivering six assists in the 139-109 win.
The outside shooting was a surprise, as Castle shot 33.2 percent in the regular season. The coolness under pressure wasn’t, as Castle matched the Timberwolves’ physical play and made plays with incredible confidence, just as he did when his UConn team won a national title. He’s got an array of tough Thunder guards waiting for him, but don’t expect Castle to be rattled.
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Cade Cunningham shot 50 percent from the three-point line Friday night, and those five three-pointers were huge in a hot shooting night for his team. His seven turnovers were unfortunate, but they came with eight assists and a number of big shots taken without any hesitation.
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