Keldon Johnson defends Stephon Castle after a push against the Pistons
It feels like just a few years ago when the San Antonio Spurs were on the rise Keldon Johnson he was a wide-eyed rookie from Kentucky. He is now Spurs’ longest-serving player, providing solidity and leadership.
He proved that again when they visited the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Monday.
Things heated up in the second quarter when the Pistons guarded Cade Cunningham pushed the Spurs keeper Stephen Castle to the floor. Johnson came in and pushed Cunningham, speaking for him.
Pistons center Jalen Duren entered the fray and pointed a finger at Johnson. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed before it escalated into a full of arguments. Johnson and Duren were whistled for technical fouls.
Keldon Johnson and Jalen Duren received technicals after this interaction 👀
Cade Cunningham was called for an offensive foul on an initial pressure on Stephon Castle.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 24, 2026
As expected, the tension was high between the two top teams in the NBA, especially since it was their first meeting.
While there are other players older than him on the Spurs, the 26-year-old Johnson played the role of the big brother on the team. He has took Victor Vembanyama under his wingeven shaving their heads together, in order to help his young teammate in his development and transition to the NBA.
Johnson has been on the rise in coach Mitch Johnson’s first full year, averaging 13.4 points, 54.5% shooting and 5.7 rebounds off the bench. He is a strong candidate for sixth man of the year.
As of this writing, it’s still a tight battle between the Spurs and Pistons in the third quarter.
Castle has 12 points, two rebounds and seven assists, while Johnson has six points and two rebounds.
2026-02-24 01:47:00
