wembanyama/0d31213d9843796d9b2e5646?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=appeared_on">NBA reporter calls for Spurs to bench De’Aaron Fox in favor of better fit with Victor Wembanyama originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The San Antonio Spurs lost Game 2 of the NBA Finals in heartbreaking fashion after having a chance to win it at the end. The Spurs are now down 2-0 in the series after defeating the defending champion New York Knicks in Game 1.
At the end of regulation in Game 2, San Antonio had an opportunity to run the clock down for the final shot. Instead, Victor Wembanyama tried to push the ball upcourt and turned it over, which led to Jalen Brunson free throws and a loss.
“Having just contested a Jalen Brunson miss, Wembanyama grabbed his ninth rebound and looked to initiate the fast break for what could have been the game-winning basket. The Frenchman would later admit urgency got the better of him, ultimately leading to the Spurs falling 105-104 to the New York Knicks to go down 2-0 in the series,” ESPN’s Michael C. Wright wrote.
The Spurs will need to win Game 3 if they want any chance of taking control of the series. Dylan Harper has provided the Spurs with a different dimension compared to De’Aaron Fox.
“Harper, listed at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, is bigger than Fox (6-3, 185) and defends far more physically. That better equips him to guard Brunson and potentially switch onto bigger players as well,” CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn wrote.
Not only has Harper provided more than Fox at times, but he is also more versatile. Harper has been more effective alongside Wembanyama than Fox has been. NBA reporter Evan Sidery believes the Spurs should consider benching Fox in favor of Harper.
“The Spurs are outscoring the Knicks by 15.3 points per 100 possessions when Dylan Harper shares the court with Victor Wembanyama. Needing to win three of the next four to force a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, it’s time to bench De’Aaron Fox in favor of Wembanyama’s long-term option,” Sidery wrote.
All of the pressure is now on the Spurs, while New York will be able to play freely. If San Antonio wants its best chance to win, it may need to give Harper an opportunity in the starting lineup to see if it sparks a shift.
It would be a bold move for the Spurs to start Harper over Fox, but they will likely stick with the veteran. However, numbers don’t lie, and if they are paying attention, the data suggests Harper deserves a larger role.
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