Spurs Coach Mitch Johnson Sends Clear Message to De'Aaron Fox Ahead of Game 5
Game 4 at Madison Square Garden saw the most stunning comeback in NBA Finals history. The San Antonio Spurs jumped out to a 19-point first-quarter lead, pushed it to 27 at halftime, and at one point led by as much as 29. Then, the Knicks completely took over in the fourth quarter.
Up 106-105 with just over 16 seconds left in the game, Jalen Brunson missed a floater, and the loose ball bounced right to De’Aaron Fox. But, instead of trying to dribble out the clock or call a timeout to regain composure, he ran down the other end of the court for a layup, only for OG Anunoby to come flying in and swat it away. Anunoby later tipped in the game-winner, capping off New York’s historic 107-106 comeback victory.
Fans and analysts alike have since blasted Fox for the play, and on Friday, just 24 hours before a do-or-die Game 5, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson made his opinion known.
“I don’t get into social media. I think I’ve probably been fired 212 times, and we’ve traded Fox 72 times,” Johnson said, addressing the hate Fox has received. “The people that matter, we bond together, we stick together through the highs and lows … We lost a tough game in the Finals that we had a lot to do with in terms of we had control to walk that thing down, and that’s what comes with the job.”
“People have their opinions. I don’t care. I care what the people that matter in our building, in our organization, in that locker room, that they know how I feel. And De’Aaron Fox will have the basketball in his hands at the end of the game tomorrow, and I have nothing but the utmost confidence that he’s gonna deliver like he’s done countless times for us,” he added.
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Fox finished the game with 18 points, seven assists, and two steals, and went 4 of 9 from deep. He’s averaged 14.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 36.3 minutes across the first four games, including a 20-point performance in Game 2, finishing as the Spurs’ second leading scorer.
He’s been one of San Antonio’s most aggressive and reliable players. But if San Antonio loses this series, he’ll be most remembered for how Game 4 ended, fair or not.
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The Knicks now lead the series 3-1, one win away from their first NBA title in over 50 years.
The Spurs will be at home on Saturday night, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET, facing a must-win Game 5.
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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 11:38 AM.