The San Antonio Spurs held shootaround Sunday morning ahead of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
The Spurs trail the Oklahoma City Thunder 1-2 in the best-of-seven series.
San Antonio started Game 3 on a 15-0 burst but were unable to sustain momentum. The Thunder took command in the second half and, as head coach Mitch Johnson emptied his bench, Spurs fans headed for the exits early.
These conference finals have slowly degenerated into a war of attrition; both teams are dealing with injuries to key players. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are nursing ailments that would keep them out multiple games in the regular season.
Ahead of Game 4 in San Antonio, Fox shared an update on his health and, while the Spurs are happy he’ll be in the lineup again, there is real concern over Fox playing through pain.
“I’m the same as I was before the series started,” Fox said during Sunday’s shootaround, “but I’m able to play … I don’t feel great, but I’m able to play.”
Spurs Facing Uphill Battle as De’Aaron Fox Deals With Injury
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – DECEMBER 29: De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Frost Bank Center on December 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Fox’s injury will again put more onus on the rising Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
With Fox out of the lineup in Games 1 and 2, coach Johnson called upon Harper, the standout rookie guard, to play major minutes alongside Castle.
The 20-year-old Harper tallied 24 points and showcased his fearlessness with 20 shot attempts in a road playoff game.
But with Harper also hobbled, the Thunder, who are also dealing with injuries to Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams, still possess strong guard play off the bench that can rattle the Spurs.
Oklahoma City’s Jared McCain, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso thoroughly outplayed the trio of Castle and the ailing Fox and Harper.
Game 4 a Virtual Must-Win
GettyStephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs tries to save the ball during an NBA playoff game.
The Spurs realize they must meet the moment; otherwise, they are in real danger of seeing their season end Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.
In moments like these, it starts with the best players. The Spurs will need Wembanyama to be a superstar in Game 4 for them to tie up the series. The 22-year-old Wembanyama, in his first postseason run, understands what his team is faced with entering Sunday night.
“Of course there are going to be trials,” Wembanyama said. “We’re going to see what we are made of.”
In Game 3, the Thunder showed a gear that only champions know of. They absorbed the 15-point blow in the opening minutes of the game. They re-calibrated by making some substitutions and percolating their expert ball movement.
Meanwhile, the Spurs, with Wembanyama on the bench, started succumbing to the slow and steady Thunder chipping away at the lead and ultimately gaining control in the first half.
With Fox and Harper less than 100%, the Spurs truly cannot afford to see their production drop so steeply when their best player gets a breather.
“You can’t lose by 20 in those [non-Wembanyama] minutes,” coach Johnson expressed after the Game 3 loss. “Even as great as a team as they are, and they’re giving you that much resistance and putting you in tough spots on the defensive end, you’ve still got to help yourselves.”
The Thunder are strong physically and sharp mentally. They are comfortable in a hostile environment. They haven’t lost a Game 4 in their last three playoff runs.
If anything, the Spurs better prepare for a Thunder punch to start Game 4.
And how they respond to that will demonstrate, as Wembanyama put it, just what the Spurs are made of.
Spurs Hit With Brutal De’Aaron Fox News Just Before Game 4 vs. OKC