De’Aaron Fox was ruled out of Game 2 of the Spurs’ Western Conference finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, a second straight game missed due to a lingering right ankle issue.
OKLAHOMA CITY — De’Aaron Fox went through his pre-game workout again, but the right ankle he’s been trying to manage stayed a problem. On Wednesday night, he was ruled out of Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, marking the second straight game he’s missed because of the same issue.
The Spurs kept Dylan Harper in the starting lineup as they prepared for Game 2. San Antonio held out hope until about an hour before tipoff that Fox could still play. but coach Mitch Johnson said the ankle situation will keep turning into game-time decisions for the rest of the season. The Spurs have not said what is causing the soreness.
“It’ll be pretty status quo moving forward, I believe, regardless of if he plays in games or not,” Johnson said. “This’ll be just kind of the world we live in.”
For the Spurs, the absence is more than just another lineup adjustment. Fox, an All-Star this season for San Antonio, averaged 18.6 points per game in the regular season, finishing second on the team behind only Victor Wembanyama’s 25 points per game.
With Fox sidelined, Harper carried the momentum from Game 1. In San Antonio’s win, the All-Rookie first team selection delivered 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and a team playoff record seven steals.
Harper. who turned 20 on March 2. is the second-youngest player to appear in this season’s playoffs. trailing only Minnesota’s Joan Beringer and Phoenix’s Khaman Maluach—both still 19. In the playoffs. Beringer and Maluach combined for 24 points. the same total that Harper scored in Game 1 alone against the Thunder.
Johnson praised Harper’s growth and how quickly he adjusted to a role that wasn’t built solely around his individual flair. He also pointed to the challenge of doing it under playoff pressure.
“He didn’t just get this talented or this good,” Johnson said. “For him to buy into the role that was in front of him. for him to do what was asked and be held accountable and learn what it took and what we needed to win games and be a part of it — while probably suppressing some of his individual capabilities — is hard to do for a 19- to 20-year-old.
“For him to be able to do that and grow as a winning team player and then have his individual talent pop as well — it’s hard to do in this league at any time. Doing it as a rookie in the playoffs is ridiculous.”
Fox’s latest absence puts the focus even more sharply on whether Harper can replicate the kind of impact that swung Game 1—and on how long the Spurs will have to operate without the All-Star guard while the ankle issue lingers.
De'Aaron Fox Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference finals Game 2 ankle injury Dylan Harper Mitch Johnson Victor Wembanyama NBA playoffs