The San Antonio Spurs went down 1-0 in the 2026 NBA Finals following a 105-95 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 1 at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday. While Spurs fans might not have been hitting the panic button after that loss, they would have reason to be a bit worried by rookie guard Dylan Harper’s activities on TikTok.
Harper reposted a clip on TikTok about De’Aaron Fox “honoring playoff James Harden” with his poor showing in the series opener against the Knicks.
Dylan Harper’s latest repost on TikTok 😳 pic.twitter.com/vctXS23FXf
— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) June 4, 2026
Harden is one of the greatest players of his generation, but also one of the greatest playoff droppers of all time. He has delivered more than his fair share of duds and is not someone you want to get compared to, especially by a teammate.
Now, Harper, the No. 2 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, has undone that repost, but what goes on the internet stays on the internet. It is possible this was completely accidental, but it could also be a case of a young player getting frustrated by what happened in Game 1.
Harper was arguably the Spurs’ best player in the first half, with 12 points (4-5 FG) and six rebounds off the bench at halftime. The 20-year-old then scored four more in the third quarter to enter the fourth with 16 points, which was more than any other Spur at that point.
With the game tied at 76 and Harper playing this well, you’d have assumed he’d play big minutes in the final period, but he didn’t. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson benched him for the final four minutes of the game, and he ended up playing just 3:33 in the fourth.
Johnson chose to trust Fox, the 2023 Clutch Player of the Year, to close out the game, and it proved to be a mistake. The veteran guard had seven points on 3-11 shooting from the field after three quarters, and wasn’t able to step up and deliver in the fourth.
Fox, who is still dealing with an ankle issue, went scoreless in the period and even had two turnovers. He finished the night with seven points (3-13 FG), four rebounds, five assists, and one steal while committing three turnovers. It was a night to forget for Fox.
As for Harper, he put up 16 points (6-10 FG), eight rebounds, one assist, and one steal while committing one turnover. Johnson was asked in his press conference on Thursday if he considered putting the youngster back in the game.
“There was definitely consideration,” Johnson said, via the Spurs. “Dylan had a heck of a game and was playing very well. And that comes with when you have a lot of good players, those decisions. Dylan did not finish the game by nothing that he did or did not do. It was a decision I made.
“And I understand that there would be logic in having Dylan in that group, but I thought that group that was out there did some things during the stretch, and that’s who I rolled with,” Johnson added.
Harper was asked about Johnson’s decision to bench him in his presser, and he claimed all was well.
“I feel like everyone wants to be out there in those times and to close the game out, but I mean, we won 62 games,” Harper said, via the Spurs. “We made it this far, so I’m going to keep on trusting the coaching staff, trusting in Mitch, and just having that trust that they know what’s best for the team. And if they think that’s the best thing for the team, and that helps us win the most, then I’m all for it.
“So I mean, obviously wanted to be out there, but ain’t nothing to hang my head on,” Harper added.
Harper has shown maturity well beyond his years this season, which is what made that repost so surprising. It doesn’t look like he’s going to dwell on the past, and you’d expect a strong response from him in Game 2, which tips off at Frost Bank Center on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
