The San Antonio Spurs were upset by the New York Knicks, 105-95, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday. The Knicks, who won their 12 straight game, held the Spurs below 100 points for the first time in the playoffs.
The Spurs took the lead with two minutes left after Victor Wembanyama's free throws. They, however, failed to buy a basket after that, as the Knicks went on an 11-0 run to seal the victory.
Fans wondered why coach Mitch Johnson kept De'Aaron Fox in crunch time instead of Dylan Harper. Fox was struggling with his shot, while Harper, who broke a team record of David Robinson, was productive when he was on the floor.
Fox, a former Clutch Player of the Year, only scored seven points on 3-of-13 shooting, including 0-of-4 from long distance. He had four rebounds, five assists, and three turnovers. Harper, on the other hand, had 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and eight rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench.
According to Hoop Informatics, Fox had the lowest net points in Game 1, tallying a minus-7.
Total Net Points | Game One Most impactful: 1. Josh Hart 2. KAT 3. Dylan Harper
— Hoop Informatics (@hoopinformatics.bsky.social) 2026-06-04T04:10:53.164Z
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To be fair, Jalen Brunson had a minus-4, yet he towed the Knicks to the win with a game-high 30 points on 13-of-27 shooting, three rebounds, and two assists. He had four turnovers.
Johnson might reconsider his rotation in Game 2, but if you are the Spurs, picking between the 28-year-old Fox and the 20-year-old Harper is a good problem to have. Both left-handed playmakers can go off at any moment.
Harper filled in for Fox in the starting unit in Game 1 and Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals when the latter was dealing with an ankle injury.
The San Antonio Spurs were upset by the New York Knicks, 105-95, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday. The Knicks, who won their 12 straight game, held the Spurs below 100 points for the first time in the playoffs. The Spurs took the lead with two minutes left after Victor Wembanyama's free throws.