San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox isn’t dodging the question — he just doesn’t care to dwell on it. The moment that defined Game 4 of the NBA Finals — Fox’s layup attempt in the closing seconds getting swatted by OG Anunoby — has been replayed endlessly on highlight shows and social media. But for the 28-year-old point guard, the only thing that matters now is Game 5.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Fox made it clear he’s already turned the page on what many are calling the most heartbreaking collapse in recent Finals history. The Spurs had a double-digit fourth-quarter lead slip away before Fox had his chance to tie or win the game, only to meet Anunoby’s outstretched arm at the rim.
“It’s not like people have my phone number and call me. I don’t watch those shows. It doesn’t matter. It is what it is,” Fox said. “Can’t change it now… We’re trying to move on from that.”
Learning from the Meltdown
Fox acknowledged the bigger issue wasn’t just the final play — it was how the Spurs let a 14-point lead evaporate in the fourth quarter. San Antonio went ice cold from the field, committed crucial turnovers, and watched the New York Knicks storm back with a 33-16 run to steal the game and take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
“Obviously, continue to learn from the mistakes that we made, and how we lost the lead, or how we finished the game poorly,” Fox added. “We think about the next game.”
The guard’s tone wasn’t one of denial, but of calculated forward focus. The Spurs are now on the brink of elimination, and no amount of second-guessing will change the series deficit.
What’s at Stake in Game 5
History is not on San Antonio’s side. Only one team in NBA history — the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers — has ever overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. The Knicks, meanwhile, are looking to close out their first championship since 1973.
Fox has been the engine of the Spurs’ offense throughout the postseason, averaging 27.4 points and 9.1 assists in the Finals. But his legacy in this series will be defined by whether he can bounce back from one crushing moment — or let it define him. Game 5 tips off Sunday night in San Antonio.
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