The San Antonio Spurs enter Game 5 of the NBA Finals facing elimination, but De’Aaron Fox believes the series has revealed something important: the gap between the Spurs and Knicks is far smaller than a 3-1 deficit might suggest.
Speaking Friday ahead of Saturday’s must-win game, Fox repeatedly pointed to one issue that has defined the series. The Spurs have built significant leads in every contest against New York, only to watch three of those games slip away.
“For us it’s, you know, what are we going to do whenever we get up 10? What are we going to do when we get up 15?” Fox said. “Basically, every game we’ve had some sort of a lead and we’re down 3-1. So, we have to figure out how to sustain those leads and then we have to figure out how to finish games.”
That theme became even more relevant after Game 4, when San Antonio squandered a 29-point advantage before losing 107-106 on OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining.
Fox said the Spurs have proven throughout the series that they can compete with New York. The challenge is maintaining their level once the Knicks begin their inevitable push.
“I think these games have showed us that we have a chance,” Fox said. “It’s not like we’re just going out there and getting steamrolled.”
He added: “We’ve had, I think, the largest lead in all four games and we’ve lost those leads and the game’s gotten close.”
Fox believes the turning point often comes after San Antonio establishes control.
“Every time we get this lead, it’s like that’s when the game starts,” he said. “That’s when the game’s on. And they’ve made the bigger plays down the stretch of games.”
The veteran guard pointed specifically to late-game execution as the deciding factor.
“We have to figure out ways to continue to extend our lead,” Fox said. “And when they do make these games close, we have to figure out ways to execute down the stretch and I think that’s where these games have lied.”
Despite the disappointment of losing three close games, Fox said the Spurs remain confident they can extend the series.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating to be down,” he said. “But we still have this belief because we’ve seen it. We’ve seen it be done that teams have come back from 3-1.”
At the same time, Fox emphasized that the locker room is not looking ahead.
“We’re taking this one game at a time,” he said. “We’re not looking at it as we need to win three games. We need to win tomorrow and then we give ourselves a chance to play another game.”
Fox returned several times to the importance of defensive discipline and sticking to the team’s process. He said New York’s comeback in Game 4 was fueled less by spectacular offense and more by San Antonio’s breakdowns.
“When we’re doing the things that we’re supposed to do, we’re forcing them into tougher shots,” Fox said. “If they make the shots, hats off to them.”
Reviewing the second half, however, Fox saw a different story.
“Our process wasn’t there,” he said. “Then they’re getting open shots, they’re getting offensive rebounds because we’re out of position.”
He described the mistakes as cumulative.
“There’s just things where it’s just miscommunication here and there,” Fox said. “And then it’s kind of a domino effect.”
Fox also made it clear that outside criticism following Game 4 has not become a distraction.
“I don’t watch those shows,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. It is what it is. Can’t change it now.”
Instead, the focus remains squarely on Game 5 and the opportunity to keep the season alive.
“We’re trying to move on from that,” Fox said. “Continue to learn from the mistakes that we made and how we lost a lead or how we finished the game poorly, but we think about the next game.”
