The San Antonio Spurs enter Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals facing their toughest challenge of the season, but De’Aaron Fox made it clear Sunday that panic is not part of the team’s mindset.
Asked to describe the approach heading into Monday night’s matchup against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Fox offered a one-word answer.
“Resilience,” Fox said. “Obviously losing two games at home is never ideal, but we have to be able to let those two games go and look ahead toward the game that’s in front of us.”
The Spurs dropped the first two games of the series at home, including a heartbreaking 105-104 loss in Game 2. New York erased a late deficit before Jalen Brunson delivered in the closing seconds, helping the Knicks take a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Manhattan.
Fox acknowledged that Brunson remains one of the biggest challenges San Antonio must solve, even though the Spurs have largely succeeded in making life difficult for the Knicks star.
“You watch him, he has some of the best footwork in the game,” Fox said. “Obviously, he’s a tough shot maker. He can really shoot the ball. He’s strong. People talk about his size. Yeah, he’s not tall, but he’s strong and he knows how to get to his spots.”
Fox added that Brunson’s ability to create offense in critical moments has been a defining factor throughout New York’s playoff run.
“We’ve done a good job on him through the course of the game, but he’s made big shots,” Fox said. “He’s been a clutch player of the year. Obviously probably biggest reason why they’re here.”
The series now heads into one of the most anticipated atmospheres in recent NBA Finals history. The Knicks are two wins from their first championship since 1973, and Madison Square Garden is expected to be at its loudest.
Fox expects exactly that.
“You’re in New York,” he said. “Even when they travel, you hear New York fans.”
The veteran guard stressed the importance of controlling momentum early and preventing the crowd from becoming a factor.
“We got to try to come out and obviously easier said than done, but try to take the crowd out of it as quickly as possible,” Fox said. “It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be hostile.”
Despite concerns about wear and tear after playoff series against Portland, Minnesota and Oklahoma City, Fox dismissed fatigue as a reason for the Spurs’ situation.
“Everybody’s banged up,” he said. “Everybody’s something’s hurting on every player that plays heavy minutes. That’s never an excuse, but we have to come out and we have to play better.”
Fox also downplayed concerns about his ankle.
“Ankle is what it is,” he said. “That’s not really something I’m worried about.”
For San Antonio, the path back into the series starts with maintaining aggression for a full 48 minutes. The Spurs built double-digit leads in both Games 1 and 2 but were unable to finish.
“Coming out the gate with your foot on the gas, especially on the road, especially being down 0-2, you have to try to come out and be the aggressor,” Fox said. “We can’t come out and play from behind.”
With the Knicks carrying a 13-game playoff winning streak into Game 3, the Spurs need a response. Fox believes that response begins with the word he chose to define the moment: resilience.
