What we learned from the Spurs win over the Trail Blazers
Social media can be a toxic place, even if you stick to sports like me. Facebook doesn’t police propaganda or fake news, and I can’t tell you how many people in the Spurs Facebook group fall for these fake posts. Twitter X is a tad bit better at rooting that stuff out, but the attitude can be worse, especially if you’re on the “For You” timeline instead of “Following”, and you get a bunch of extra stuff. For me, if I stray away from “Following”, my timeline gets flooded with Longhorn, Thunder and Canadian (?) fans who are just out to troll. I’m also willing to bet 60% of the Thunder accounts are bots. So many of them use anime as their profile photos, strange font and usernames that make zero sense, and they post similar or identical stuff, especially hating on Victor Wembanyama.
However, even if I stick to just my “Following” timeline, which is primarily Spurs and Texas A&M stuff, it’s not always sunshine and roses, even during these happy times. One characteristic of the Spurs fanbase (and every other, to be fair) is there always needs to be a fall guy when things aren’t perfect, and this season, that has largely been De’Aaron Fox. Of course, I knew this would be the case the instant he signed a max contract extension this offseason, which to be sure will make fans expect the best from you each and every night and bring more scrutiny.
That being said, sometimes I’m not sure fans consider the role he’s playing. Despite being their highest paid player (for now), he’s not the Spurs’ number one option, and yet some fans still seem to expect him to put up numbers like he is. I see posts of his Sacramento days asking, “what happened to this version of Fox?” The answer is simple: NOTHING! He’s right here, doing exactly what he did there, just in a smaller sample size because he’s usually playing next to a certain generational talent that has GOAT potential, as well as two other young guards with ceilings at least as high as his. Wouldn’t you be mad if he was hogging the ball from Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper? Of course, you would, so you can’t have it both ways.
When Wemby is playing or someone else is hot, Fox rightfully plays the role of facilitator while picking his spots within the flow of the offense, as well as stepping up in crunch time. He has been perfect in that role for the Spurs, filling the gap of play-making point guard and clutch time player they had been missing in recent years. When Wemby doesn’t play is when Sacramento Fox shows up, averaging about 7 more points per game and carrying the team on his back, just like he did last night against the Portland Trail Blazers, where the Spurs were also missing Castle, and Harper wasn’t having his finest night.
Fox finished with 25 points on 10-20 shooting, including 3-6 from three, as well as 7 assists and 5 rebounds. Sure, he had a case of butter fingers with 4 turnovers, but so did seemingly everyone else on both teams, who combined for 31 of them. It was just one of those nights in the turnover department, but tell me honestly, did you have a great feeling coming into this game? The Spurs with nothing to play for and down two of their three best players against a Blazers team with everything on the line that had already beaten them once without Wemby this season felt iffy. I knew a win was certainly possible, but it ended up being easier than expected, and that was in no small part thanks to Fox stepping up into that role when called upon. There’s a reason he’s a nominee for Teammate of the Year: he has not only filled his role perfectly, but has also been an amazing mentor to the Spurs young guards while sacrificing stats and status in the process.
I didn’t exactly come in here expecting to write a Fox Appreciation post, but this is the beauty of What we Learned: you just start writing what the game made you think about, and it becomes something entirely unique from the normal game coverage I’m used to writing.
Takeaways
- On one hand, I’m thrilled the Spurs are no longer beholden to small ball when Wemby either sits or is out due to the lack of a back-up center. That being said, they have been treating it that way lately when Kornet is either out or starting, and to be honest, it hasn’t been bad in no small part thanks to the physicality of Carter Bryant. His strength and athleticism allows him to guard the post and grab rebounds without being pushed around, but the added bonus is when you get offense out of him. Last night, he reminded us that he can also be their long-term answer at power forward with a career high 17 points on 5-6 shooting from three. You could point out that he was simply hot and the Blazers made the decision to leave him open, but what a leap he has had from the beginning of the season to now. Folks were saying he would be raw to to start the season but give him until January or February, and they couldn’t have been more right.
- How good is Harper that it feels like he had a “meh” game while putting up 16 points on 6-14 shooting, 1-2 from three, along with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks? Maybe it felt worse than it was because it was his least impressive game as a starter and, like Fox, he had a case of the butter fingers with an uncharacteristic four turnovers, but regardless, you know you’re reaching a high tier when this type of performance is merely okay.
- I’ve said this multiple times this season, but I’m just so happy for Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson. ESPN made sure to give them their flowers during the broadcast last night, and I’m going to do the same. While not on the same level as Fox as a player, they too have accepted a reduced role for the betterment of the team, and they fill it perfectly. While it wasn’t Vassell’s most efficient shooting night last night, with 14 points just 2-7 from three, he made up for it by being a rebound machine. He grabbed some insane boards against one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the league and continues to be a steadying presence, never getting too high or low. As for KJ, while I don’t know what has recently changed that suddenly shot him to the favorite for 6th Man of the Year (at least according to Vegas, I’m skeptical of the voters), he still showed why he’s had a case all season with 20 points on 8-15 shooting and joined Vassell to lead the team in rebounds with 8, 4 of which were on offense. They aren’t the stars of this team, but they’re the heart and soul, and the Spurs wouldn’t be where they are without them.
