De'Aaron Fox, the key player for the NBA Finals to change course

The San Antonio Spurs face the second game of the NBA Finals with a mix of calm and urgency. Despite losing home-court advantage after the defeat in the first game against the New York Knicks, the young Texan squad remains composed in the most demanding moment of their collective career.

An important part of this emotional stability has a name: De’Aaron Fox. The veteran guard, one of the most experienced players on the team, delivered a performance well below his usual level in the first game of the series. He finished with just seven points, four rebounds, and five assists, shooting a poor 3 for 13 from the field, without success from beyond the arc, and accumulating three turnovers.

Nevertheless, Fox's influence goes far beyond the numbers. Despite his offensive struggles, he stayed on the court for almost 38 minutes, reflecting his importance to the team's functioning. Since joining San Antonio last season, the 28-year-old player has taken on a different role, with less focus on scoring but more responsibility in playmaking and game creation.

"I have to make shots," acknowledged Fox. "Obviously, I'm not shooting as much, but when I came here, I knew it would be like this. As a player, you make sacrifices for the team's good. There are moments when I need to shoot more and others when I don't, but ultimately, you have to convert the shots you take."

The Spurs believe the issue was not so much shot selection as execution. In fact, Fox's shot quality in the first game was better than in many of his previous playoff matches. However, the team needs to regain one of its main weapons: the guard's ability to attack the rim and create advantages.

San Antonio's offensive system largely relies on those penetrations. When Fox manages to break through the initial defensive line, players like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper find spaces to take advantage of secondary and tertiary actions. However, this dynamic rarely appeared consistently in the first game.

The Knicks succeeded in imposing their defensive plan for long stretches of the game. Their compact defense closed off paths to the paint and forced the Spurs to rely on outside shooting. Although San Antonio found open shots, they only converted 25% of their attempts from the three-point line.

"In our sets, when we ran our plays, we saw pretty much the same defense over and over again," explained Castle. "We ended up creating the same shot repeatedly. We have to avoid getting tired of making the right decision over and over."

Coach Mitch Johnson also pointed out some issues in offensive execution.

"I think some three-pointers came too hastily," noted the coach. "Many offensive details have a significant domino effect when you analyze the game thoroughly. We have to continue respecting our style of play and our identity."

Another concerning aspect was turnovers. During the playoffs, the Spurs stood out for protecting the ball when attacking the rim. However, against New York's aggressive perimeter defense, errors increased significantly. Fox and Castle combined for five turnovers against a rival that clogged passing lanes with physical and active players.

Also, a less fluid connection between Fox and Victor Wembanyama was evident than usual. The lack of continuity in their plays affected the team's offensive production and reduced opportunities near the basket.

The Spurs' Issue Against the Knicks

Despite everything, there is a sense within the locker room that the main problem was not tactical.

"I truly believe that the reason we lost that game isn’t even technical," asserted Wembanyama. "It's not tactical. We have to approach the game with a better mindset. We have to play our game. We have to be ourselves. We don't need to do anything extraordinary."

Fox shares that view. The guard thinks the process was right for much of the game, and the Spurs must stick to the same formula.

"We were pretty good for most of the game," he stated. "I think we faltered a bit at the end, and they increased the pressure, preventing us from getting into the paint. But the process was there. That's how we built an 11-point lead. We have to keep trusting that process over and over. If the shots don't fall, they don't fall, but that shouldn't change how we play."

With the series 1-0 in favor of the Knicks, the second game emerges as a crucial moment for the Spurs. Rekindling Fox's aggressiveness, improving the connection with Wembanyama, and maintaining confidence in their offensive identity will be key to prevent the Finals from slipping away too soon.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, De"Aaron Fox, el jugador clave para que las Finales NBA cambien de signo