Coach Johnson's post-loss De'Aaron Fox comments are sure to frustrate Spurs fans

The San Antonio Spurs lost Game 1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-102, and De’Aaron Fox struggled mightily. To make the bad performance worse, head coach Mitch Johnson brushed it off completely. He thinks Fox just missed some shots and failed to produce what fans expected, but everyone should be worried that coach Johnson won’t hold the veteran accountable. See his quote below.

“I thought he missed some shots. The box score says he’s five for 14 with six turnovers, so I am sure, in terms of what we’re used to from the box score, you’d want more from him. I have no concern over De’Aaron Fox or Victor Wembanyama’s box score. They’ll be better. We’ll be better for them.”

Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle were better in Game 1 and have been for large stretches this postseason. Some fans were saying the rookie played Fox off the team in the first round. Coach Johnson must realize who gives him the best chance to win on a given night and act accordingly. If he doesn’t, the Spurs are doomed.

Mitch Johnson must hold De’Aaron Fox accountable moving forward

Fans can hear coach Johnson’s entire quote on Fox and his struggles below.

This was a nightmare performance. He finished with ten points, three rebounds, six assists, and one steal. The poor shot-making and turnovers hurt San Antonio as the Spurs were outscored by 13 in Fox’s 33 minutes on the floor. The two-time All-Star was the only Spurs starter in the negatives on Monday night.

Coach Johnson couldn’t use Castle in the final moments of Game 1 because he fouled out, but Harper is breaking out. There will be moments when the young duo gives San Antonio the best shot to win. Will Mitch Johnson lean into that? He hasn’t yet, and supporters should be questioning if he will after those comments.

This is the playoffs. Every possession matters. The Spurs lost by two, despite shooting 28 percent from 3-point range. Coach Johnson has to be better moving forward. He failed to call a timeout for the final possession. He challenged too early. There were questionable offensive play calls and rotation decisions. All those little things add up in the biggest games.

The Spurs have the deepest backcourt in the NBA. Castle, Harper, and Fox are stars. Coach Johnson can’t be afraid to bench the veteran in key moments. Fox was struggling to make shots and turning the ball over on Monday night. It was time to let Harper run things down the stretch. Johnson has to trust all his players. Not just Fox and Wembanyama.

The San Antonio Spurs could win the championship this season. They have the talent, but Mitch Johnson has to maximize the roster. He didn’t do that in Game 1, and fans should be concerned about him accomplishing it moving forward. Hopefully, it was just a bad night, and Johnson will learn from his mistakes. If not, the Spurs may be doomed in this series.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow