Despite the San Antonio Spurs taking a decisive 2-1 series lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves, star De'Aaron Fox has had mixed success.
He was downright awful in the first half of Game 3 before finally getting going in the second half. Fortunately, his 15 second-half points helped lift the Spurs, but his overall play raises major questions about his future in San Antonio.
Despite being one of the fastest players in the NBA, Fox has routinely struggled to get to the rim. Instead, he settled for pull-up jumpers and off-the-dribble threes.
Granted, he had a defensive ace in Jaden McDaniels on him for part of the game. However, even when running pick and rolls with Victor Wembanyama, it was still a struggle.
De'Aaron Fox remains frustratingly inconsistent
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That has been a trend all season, but it's more evident now with San Antonio playing more competitive games and needing a reliable second option.
To his credit, Fox did contribute to San Antonio's victory, just not as much as many Spurs fans would have hoped. He shot 7/19 from the field, and while he played solid defense, he just wasn't the player that San Antonio needs him to be.
At one point, San Antonio was forced to run their offense through Devin Vassell. Fox's struggles were made more stark by Dylan Harper failing to have a major impact. If Fox struggles, San Antonio still has two other starting-caliber point guards to work with.
De'Aaron Fox came through when it mattered but he needs to be better
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However, if two of the three struggle, then San Antonio's offense grinds to a halt. Thankfully, Wembanyama was so good in game 3 that San Antonio still managed to score efficiently while clamping down defensively.
They boasted a plus 25 net rating with Wembanyama. We all know that Wembanyama has the potential to be the best player in the NBA, and when he plays like it, San Antonio is virtually impossible to stop.
Nevertheless, San Antonio was hoping Fox would be a co-star. Instead, he is merely playing like a good starter. I have no doubt that Fox will have several big games this postseason. Still, it's painfully obvious that he's not been consistent enough to be a great second option.
That is concerning considering he is set to start a 5-year max contract next season and he obviously isn't playing up to that level. Look, Fox is still capable of helping this team win games
Even so, with more games like the one he played in Minnesota, it's increasingly likely that he's not the player the Spurs hope he will be.
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