San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson expects De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper to be available for Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night. Fox returned from an ankle injury in Friday’s loss, posting 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists
The Spurs walked into the 2026 Western Conference Finals with their entire core available for the first time. and still couldn’t slow down the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. Now. heading into Game 4 at Frost Bank Center on Sunday night. the message from San Antonio is simple: Mitch Johnson expects both De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper back.
Johnson expects Fox and Harper to play against the Thunder on Sunday night. with the expectation relayed by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. For a Spurs team facing what feels like a must-win moment. the extra lift from a healthy-enough backcourt could be the difference between trying to survive the series and forcing it back into their rhythm.
Fox made his series debut on Friday after nursing an ankle injury. He produced 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting. while adding seven rebounds and six assists—numbers that looked like a player finding his footing rather than easing into the postseason. Harper, meanwhile, pushed through an abductor issue. He finished with six points on 2-of-7 shooting in 17 minutes of action.
San Antonio’s hope is that both return to their normal roles when Game 4 tips on Sunday night. Johnson will be leaning on a stout backcourt not just for points. but for control—because the Spurs can’t afford to keep conceding the kind of momentum that turns a playoff series into something harder to dig out of.
There is also a harsh reality hanging over Frost Bank Center. Common sense dictates that no team. including a 62-20 Spurs squad. can defeat Oklahoma City three straight times—meaning Game 4 carries the kind of urgency where game plans have to be practical. not hopeful. Johnson has to put together something sensible, and Fox and Harper would appear to be key pieces of that blueprint.
Fox is second on the team in scoring and assists. and he’s the veteran star Johnson can trust to take some of the load off Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. Harper’s fit is different but equally important: his ability to attack the rim and force turnovers can change the pace of the night. creating the stops the Spurs need rather than simply hoping they’ll arrive.
If Fox and Harper are executing their usual responsibilities, San Antonio would finally have an opening to tie the series. Until Sunday night, though, the entire building will be waiting on one question: can the backcourt that arrived battered in Game 3 look like the one opponents fear in Game 4?
Mitch Johnson De'Aaron Fox Dylan Harper Game 4 Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs Western Conference Finals Frost Bank Center ankle injury abductor issue Victor Wembanyama Stephon Castle
If they got Fox back, that’s basically cheat code right? Game 4 gonna be way different.
They keep saying “must-win” like that never happens lol. But Harper only had 6 points on 2/7… so how exactly is he fixing anything? Also 62-20 doesn’t mean anything if OKC is just cooking them.
I read “ankle injury” and thought he’d be out like the whole playoffs. Now he’s playing Game 4? Sounds like he’s gonna push through and then in Game 5 he’s gonna be worse. Not sure this article is saying that part though. Hopefully Wemby can carry if Fox is limited.
Common sense says you can’t beat OKC 3 straight times… but I swear teams do that all the time? Like if the refs and momentum are on one side, records don’t matter. Waiting on Sunday to see if Fox and Harper “look normal” like okay cool but Harper already had an abductor thing so I don’t trust it. Spurs better not be “hoping” like the article says, because that never works.