Rookie guard Dylan Harper apparently agrees with the notion that San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson made a mistake by benching him in favor of De’Aaron Fox during the closing moments of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
On Thursday, Harper reposted a fan video on TikTok that drew parallels between Fox’s stat line and some of James Harden’s notorious playoff performances over the years. Fox finished with seven points and three turnovers, while shooting 3-of-13 from the field and 0-of-4 from distance as the Spurs fell 105-95 to the New York Knicks.
Was Dylan Harper Out of Line?
Some fans on social media believe Harper may have caused tension in the Spurs locker room by poking fun at Fox, even if his intention was just to troll his “unc.”
“Alright I understand his frustration but does he not know how the internet works! Impossible for fox to not see this😬 Spurs locker room very tense right now,” wrote one fan, highlighting why Harper made a mistake with his actions on social media.
“Make this go viral so can screw up team chemistry down -200,” wrote one Knicks fan.
“That’s what you get with a young team,” wrote one user, highlighting the Spurs’ youth.
Should Spurs Have Benched Harper?
Harper, who finished with 16 points in Game 1, addressed the controversy after a practice session on Thursday.
“I feel like everyone wants to be out there in those times and to close the game out,” Harper said of the Spurs finishing the game with Fox instead of him.
“But, I mean, we won 62 games, we made it this far, so I’m gonna keep on trusting the coaching staff, trusting everybody, and just having that trust and know that they know what’s best for the team. If they think that’s the best thing for the team, and that helps us win the most, then I’m all for it.”
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Spurs Rookie Dylan Harper Reacts to Game 1 Benching as Questions Grow After NBA Finals Loss
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson defended his decision.
“There was definitely consideration. Dylan had a heck of a game, was playing very well,” Johnson said of his decision to finish the game with Fox instead of Harper.
“That comes when you have a lot of good players, those decisions.”
Johnson stressed that Harper’s benching was not performance-related.
“Dylan did not finish the game by nothing he did or did not do. It was a decision I made,” Johnson added.
“I understand that there would be logic in having Dylan in that group. I thought that group that was out there did some things during that stretch, and that’s what I rolled with.”
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