If getting called out by NBA analysts wasn’t enough, San Antonio Spurs star De’Aaron Fox is catching strays from announcers of other sporting leagues for his late-game blunder in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.
During the Indiana Fever’s 114-106 overtime victory over the Chicago Sky on Thursday night, Aliyah Boston chose to pass up a wide-open layup and instead dribble out the clock — something that Fox did not do during his team’s loss a day earlier. While reacting to Boston’s choice, Candace Parker took a subtle jab at Fox.
“Aliyah Boston electing to not take the layup and dribble the ball out,” Parker said.
“Making another reference to something that happened last night?” WNBA on Prime play-by-play man Michael Grady asked Parker.
Michael Grady: “Making another reference to something that happened last night?” 😅
De’Aaron Fox Under Fire
Scores of NBA analysts and pundits ripped Fox’s decision to attempt a layup with 11.1 seconds left instead of dribbling out the clock when the Spurs led 106-105. After his shot was blocked by OG Anunoby, the Knicks found a way to make a go-ahead basket at the other end to seize a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. Incidentally, Anunoby was the one who also made the tip-in shot to give the Knicks a 107-106 advantage.
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley did not hold back on Fox after the game.
“We’ll call his ass De’Andre tonight,” Barkley said of Fox, in reference to Deandre Ayton, a player who has routinely been called out for making dumb plays.
“That was a dumbass play. He did not have to shoot that ball. They could have just got fouled. There was no reason for him to shoot that ball,” Barkley added.
“Ernie [Johnson], I’ve been in the NBA for 40 years, probably longer, actually, and I’ve never experienced what I experienced tonight,” he continued. …If you’re the Spurs, man, you got to be kicking yourself because that was some of the dumbest basketball I’ve ever seen in my entire 63 years.”
Can Spurs Bounce Back?
The Spurs are attempting to become the second team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 NBA Finals lead. They are 5.5-point betting favorites in Saturday’s Game 5.
As the Spurs try to make history, star guard Stephon Castle has urged his teammates to take a one-game-at-a-time approach rather than looking too far ahead.
“…We still have belief in each other and confidence that we’re going to win the next game,” he said.
“It’s still first to four. Coach Mitch said it best: We’ve pretty much dictated the winner or loser of all of these games. I think us finishing games and trying to maintain our leads has been tough for us.”
The Spurs previously staved off elimination by winning Games 6 and 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West Finals. As such, they have endured a lot of adversity already in the playoffs and can’t be counted out just yet.
Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox Roasted by WNBA Announcer After Game 4 Blunders