The San Antonio Spurs are heading to New York down 0-2 in the NBA Finals, and while the series has been competitive, the reality is that they have repeatedly failed in the biggest moments. The Knicks have been the tougher, smarter, and more composed team late in games, stealing both contests in different ways.
Game 1 saw San Antonio waste multiple opportunities despite controlling the glass, while Game 2 ended with another heartbreaking collapse.
Victor Wembanyama has still put up superstar numbers, De’Aaron Fox bounced back in Game 2, and several role players have had positive moments. But when a team loses the first two games of the NBA Finals, difficult conversations become unavoidable.
Some players simply have to deliver more, while others have made mistakes that directly swung games in New York’s favor.
These are the six Spurs players who deserve the most scrutiny for San Antonio’s 0-2 deficit. And surprisingly, the biggest name on the roster is near the very top of the list.
6. Keldon Johnson
Keldon Johnson‘s energy has always been one of his greatest strengths as the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. Unfortunately, his production has not matched that energy in this series.
He scored just three points in Game 1 and followed that with three more points in Game 2. Across both games, he is shooting 2-8 from the field and 1-for-4 from three.
The Spurs desperately need bench scoring to keep pace with New York’s depth. Instead, Landry Shamet has outscored Johnson 26-6 despite playing on the opposing bench.
Johnson has been a valuable player throughout his Spurs career so far, but six points through two Finals games is nowhere near enough.
5. Julian Champagnie
Champagnie deserves credit for his Game 1 performance. His 16 points and five made threes helped keep San Antonio competitive when several other players struggled.
Unfortunately, that momentum completely disappeared in Game 2.
Champagnie managed only eight points while grabbing four rebounds and making just two field goals. More importantly, he has struggled defensively against New York’s wing trio of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart.
The Spurs need reliable two-way production from their starting small forward. Instead, they’ve received one good game and one largely forgettable one.
4. Stephon Castle
The second-year player has shown flashes throughout the playoffs, but the Finals have exposed some growing pains.
Stephon Castle scored 17 points in Game 1 and 14 in Game 2, which looks respectable on paper. The bigger issue has been decision-making. He committed six turnovers across the two games and has struggled to consistently organize the offense when the Knicks ramp up their defensive pressure.
Game 2 was particularly frustrating. Castle shot just 5-14, committed four turnovers, and missed two free throws in a one-point loss.
Nobody should expect perfection from a rookie. But when you’re playing 30-plus minutes in the NBA Finals, mistakes become magnified.
3. Devin Vassell
This may be the most disappointing name on the list.
Devin Vassell entered the Finals as San Antonio’s expected third scoring option behind Wembanyama and Fox. Through two games, he has delivered just 23 total points while shooting 8-20 overall and 4-13 from three-point range.
The scoring numbers don’t tell the entire story. Vassell has also struggled to create offense when the Knicks load up on Wembanyama, and he has rarely looked comfortable attacking New York’s physical perimeter defenders.
Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges is averaging 14.5 points while shooting efficiently (57.9% FG, 66.7% 3-Pt FG) and impacting every aspect of the game.
The Spurs need Vassell to be a difference-maker. So far, he has been more of a complementary piece than a legitimate secondary star.
2. De’Aaron Fox
This might seem harsh after Fox’s strong Game 2, but the reality is that the Spurs probably win Game 1 if he performs anywhere close to his normal standard. Fox’s seven-point disaster in the opener was arguably the single worst performance by any Spurs starter in the series.
He shot 3-13 from the field, missed all four of his three-point attempts, and never established any offensive rhythm. San Antonio lost by just 10 points despite receiving almost nothing from its All-Star point guard.
Yes, he responded with 20 points on 8-12 shooting in Game 2. But even then, he committed four turnovers and was unable to close the game late as New York executed better down the stretch.
The Spurs traded for Fox specifically for moments like these. Wembanyama has done his part, averaging 27.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, and carrying enormous offensive responsibility. Fox was supposed to be the co-star who eased that burden.
Instead, his Game 1 collapse helped put San Antonio in an early hole, and now the Spurs head home needing three consecutive wins just to regain control of the series.
When a team falls behind 0-2 in the NBA Finals, blame rarely falls on one player. But if there is one Spur whose performance has fallen furthest below expectations, it is Fox.
1. Victor Wembanyama
This will be slightly harsh, but superstars get superstar expectations.
On paper, Wembanyama’s numbers look fantastic. He’s averaging 27.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 1.5 steals, and shooting 17-42 from the field through the first two games. Most players would kill for that production on the NBA Finals stage.
But the numbers don’t tell the entire story.
Game 1 was a missed opportunity. Wembanyama scored 26 points, but needed 21 shots to get there, shot just 2-9 from three, and committed six turnovers. For long stretches, he settled for jumpers instead of relentlessly attacking Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson inside.
The Spurs lost by 10 despite controlling the rebounding battle and getting enough stops defensively.
Game 2 was even more frustrating.
Wembanyama finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, and two steals, but he also committed four turnovers in a one-point loss. The most costly came late in the fourth quarter when the Spurs had a chance to take control, and Wemby threw a pass off Stephon Castle’s back, leading to a Jalen Brunson game-winning free throw.
In a game decided by a single point, every mistake gets magnified.
More importantly, Towns has arguably won the matchup through two games. While Wembanyama has produced counting stats, Towns has been the more efficient player, shooting 15-27 overall while averaging 19.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists on 55.6% FG and 42.9% 3-PT FG.
He’s stretched the floor, punished San Antonio’s rotations, and forced Wembanyama to defend away from the basket. On several possessions, Towns has simply looked like the more composed star.
Then there were Wembanyama’s postgame comments after Game 2. Instead of sounding angry or determined, he sounded frustrated and searching for answers.
That’s understandable for a 22-year-old carrying an enormous burden, but it also reflected a player who knows he has left opportunities on the table. The Knicks have made him work for everything, and for perhaps the first time in these playoffs, he appears rattled.
The scary part for San Antonio is that Wembanyama is still putting up monster numbers. The problem is that he hasn’t imposed his will on the series the way true Finals legends do. The Spurs need the version of Wembanyama that attacks relentlessly, lives in the paint, puts Towns in foul trouble, and takes over fourth quarters.
So far, they haven’t gotten enough of that player.
