Jalen Brunson had just dropped 45 points, the New York Knicks had just won their first NBA title in 53 years, and the San Antonio Spurs were heading home as runners-up. The obvious headline was Brunson’s masterpiece. But in the quiet of the losing locker room, De’Aaron Fox’s own brutal honesty about his Finals meltdown may be the more telling story for what comes next.
In Game 5’s 94–90 loss, Fox shot 3-for-15 from the field, including 1-for-8 from three-point range. It was a performance that mirrored the night of his backcourt mate, Stephon Castle, who went 1-for-10. Together, the two guards combined for just 13 points on 4-for-25 shooting. San Antonio’s offense cratered at the worst possible time.
After the game, Fox didn’t deflect or make excuses. Per the San Antonio Express-News, he analyzed his struggles with a veteran’s clarity.
“I got shots I’ve made in the past. Sometimes you just don’t make them. Some felt good. Back rim, in and out,” Fox said. “But that team is physical. They force you into taking jump shots and try to keep you out of the paint.”
Fox finished with five assists and two steals, but his scoring — the engine of San Antonio’s offense all postseason — stalled just when the Spurs needed it most. Meanwhile, rookie Dylan Harper provided a spark off the bench with 25 points, and Victor Wembanyama put up 19 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. But it wasn’t enough against a Knicks team that turned defense into a vice.
Mitch Johnson’s Frustration Boils Down to One Regret
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson didn’t mince words when asked what he would have done differently against Brunson. The answer was as blunt as it was simple.
“Make him score less points,” Johnson said during his postgame media availability.
The moment was captured on video by SNY Knicks and quickly made the rounds. It was a raw, unpolished admission from a coach who had just watched an opponent’s star carry his team to a championship. Brunson’s 45 points came on 18-for-34 shooting, and he added four assists. For a Spurs defense that had been elite through three rounds, it was a stunning collapse at the worst possible moment.
What’s Next for San Antonio?
The Spurs walk away from this season as Western Conference champions — a remarkable achievement for a team that many expected to be a year or two away from contention. But the Finals exposed cracks that will need to be addressed. Fox’s inconsistency in big moments, Castle’s shooting woes, and the team’s reliance on Wembanyama to do everything are all issues that will follow them into the offseason.
The good news? San Antonio has cap flexibility, draft assets, and the kind of young core that can grow from this experience. The bad news? The Knicks just proved that experience alone doesn’t win titles — you need a closer. Fox came into the series with that reputation. He leaves it with questions.
For now, the Spurs board the plane home as champions of the West. But as Fox’s honest words suggest, that’s not enough anymore.
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