New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson knows he's got his work cut out for him going up against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle when the NBA Finals begin Wednesday.
"He's great. I think his intensity and tenacity is special," Brunson told reporters Tuesday during Finals media day, including ESPN's Vincent Goodwill. "He plays with a chip on his shoulder. He's had that since I've seen him at UConn. The way he's played over these first couple years of his career, he's going to be a great player, great defender."
Castle was a key part of the Spurs' third-ranked defense during the regular season and has been tasked with keeping the likes of Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Deni Avdija in check during the postseason.
The 21-year-old also served as the primary defender on two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who committed 3.1 turnovers per contest and was limited to 40.9% shooting, including 28.6% from deep, during the Oklahoma City Thunder's defeat in the West finals.
Castle had success guarding Brunson in the two regular-season meetings between New York and San Antonio, limiting him to zero points on 0-of-4 shooting when serving as his primary defender.
"I think what's worked for me is trying to be physical with him," Castle said. "He's obviously shorter than me, but he's a very physical guard; he gets to his spots well. Uses deception well, has great footwork.
"Trying to be as disciplined as I can, crowd his space, but not give him the angles that he's looking for. At this point, he's seen pretty much every coverage, been guarded all kinds of ways."
Brunson is averaging 26.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 2.8 boards across 14 appearances. He was the unanimous winner of the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is Wednesday in San Antonio at 8:30 p.m. ET.
