Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox ruled out Game 2 with ankle issue

De’Aaron Fox was ruled out of Game 2 of the Spurs’ Western Conference finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night for a right ankle issue, the second straight game he has missed. Coach Mitch Johnson said Fox’s status will remain a game-t

OKLAHOMA CITY — De’Aaron Fox showed up for another pregame workout, hoping his right ankle would suddenly cooperate again. It didn’t.

Fox was ruled out of Game 2 of the Spurs’ Western Conference finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. It’s the second consecutive game he has missed because of the ankle issue, and the Spurs were preparing to keep Dylan Harper in the starting lineup in his place.

San Antonio held out hope until about an hour before game time Wednesday that Fox could play. Coach Mitch Johnson. just as he did Monday. described the situation as something the Spurs will have to handle on the fly for the rest of the season. The team has not revealed what is causing the ankle 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.”

The injury news lands on top of what has already been a steep climb for the Spurs. with Harper stepping into a bigger spotlight than most rookies ever face. Harper. who was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie first team earlier Wednesday. delivered a defining effort in San Antonio’s Game 1 win over the Thunder.

In that opener, Harper scored 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out six assists, and finished with a team playoff record seven steals.

Harper turned 20 on March 2, and he’s already become one of the youngest players to appear this postseason. He is the second-youngest player to have appeared in this season’s playoffs, trailing only Minnesota’s Joan Beringer and Phoenix’s Khaman Maluach, both still 19.

Beringer and Maluach combined to score 24 points in this season’s playoffs, matching the total Harper produced in Game 1 against Oklahoma City alone.

Johnson framed Harper’s impact as more than raw talent. He pointed to the work behind the scenes—how a young player adjusts to what winning teams ask for, even when it requires suppressing some individual instincts.

“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.”.

The coach added that doing it immediately, in the playoffs, has made Harper’s progression stand out even more.

“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 for a 19- to 20-year-old at any time. Doing it as a rookie in the playoffs is ridiculous.”

Fox’s absence is also a reminder of what San Antonio loses when it has to manage minutes and momentum without one of its primary scoring forces. This season. Fox was an All-Star for the Spurs and averaged 18.6 points per game during the regular season. second on the team behind only Victor Wembanyama’s 25 points per game.

With Fox sidelined again for Game 2. the series picture turns sharper: San Antonio can’t count on the usual rhythm from its All-Star guard. and it will continue leaning on Harper to carry major minutes and production as the Spurs wait to see whether the ankle improves—or whether “status quo” is the only plan left.

De’Aaron Fox Spurs Thunder Western Conference finals Game 2 ankle issue Dylan Harper Mitch Johnson NBA playoffs