De'Aaron Fox Explains Late-Game Decision That Led to OG Anunoby's Clutch Block
De'Aaron Fox and the San Antonio Spurs had a great 29-point lead in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. However, the team struggled in the second half, which led to what many believe is the greatest comeback in NBA history.
Late in the game, the Spurs had a chance to increase their lead. They secured a defensive stop off of Jalen Brunson's missed layup and triggered a fastbreak opportunity for San Antonio. Fox had the ball and had the option to burn the clock since they had a one-point lead.
However, he tried to shoot a layup and was blocked from behind by Knicks forward OG Anunoby. When asked about his thought process about it after the game, Fox said this:
"I just thought I'd be able to outrun him. That's it."
Spurs' De'Aaron Fox on attempting the layup late rather than running the clock: "I just thought I'd be able to outrun [Knicks' OG Anunoby]. That's it." pic.twitter.com/wOFLs3iHXR
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 11, 2026
According to Fox, he wanted to give the Spurs a 3-point lead so the Knicks would be forced to go for a 3-point shot on the other end. After that defensive action from Anunoby, Brunson attempted a shot from downtown with 5.7 seconds left. He missed, but Anunoby once again saved New York with his putback tip-in to give them the 107-106 win.
Additionally, the Spurs wasted the massive lead they built in the first half, which was a major factor in their second-half collapse. San Antonio went cold from downtown after shooting 14-for-26 in the first half, resulting in 76 points. In the third and fourth quarters, San Antonio relied too much on their hot outside shooting in the first half.
But it was a different story in the second half, and they only had 30 points on 3-for-17 shooting from deep.
Charles Barkley Addresses De'Aaron Fox's Blocked Layup Attempt
Former NBA star Charles Barkley did not hold back when he commented on Fox's late-game blunder. Barkley believes that a better opportunity and shot could've worked out for the Spurs.
"That was a [expletive] play. He did not have to shoot that ball," Barkley said. "They could've just gotten fouled; there was no reason for him to shoot that ball."
"That was a dumbass play. He did not have to shoot that ball."
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 11, 2026
- Charles Barkley on De'Aaron Fox
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
pic.twitter.com/ZbLGKiEOsv
Barkley continued to rant about the mistakes that the Spurs made. According to him, they helped the Knicks win because of the low-IQ plays they executed. That includes their reliance on the 3-point shot in the second half, even though they started to be inconsistent from deep.
The pressure is on the Spurs as they are 3-1 in the series as they head back to San Antonio for Saturday's Game 5.
Related: "It Just Hurts": Victor Wembanyama Reacts To Spurs' Historic NBA Finals Collapse
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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 12:04 AM.