De’Aaron Fox delivered 28 points as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 114-93 in Game 4 of their first-round series at Moda Center on Sunday, pushing the Spurs to a 3-1 lead.
Fox reflected on Victor Wembanyama’s growth since joining the franchise, saying, “I think just in his leadership, I mean, he was already extremely talented. We already knew that. We knew that he was already extremely skilled, but I think in using his voice, I think that’s the biggest change that I’ve seen.”
He continued, “Like he’s always talking both offensively and defensively, scheme, schematic wise. Just everything, whatever he sees on the court, he’s voicing it to us and I think that’s probably been the biggest growth that he’s had this year.”
On Wembanyama’s availability before the game, Fox said the team had expected him to return, stating, “Once he didn’t play last game I think we expected that he was going to play today. So there wasn’t many I don’t think anybody was really questioning it.”
Fox also explained how San Antonio corrected its first-half issues after falling behind early, saying, “We weren’t passing the ball. We weren’t moving the ball enough. We were turning the ball over. We weren’t taking good shots, and that led to them getting out in transition, living in the paint.”
He added, “When they got threes, it was kick. It was the threes that they wanted. It wasn’t the threes that we were forcing them to take. And that was on us.”
The Spurs guard emphasized the importance of adjustments at halftime, saying, “We just had to figure out a way to play the right way, not necessarily play better.”
Fox continued, “We were able to come in at halftime, talk about it with each other. Whenever you’re hearing it from guys in the same uniform, it’s a little different.”
On the second-half turnaround, he said, “We fixed it. We kept them out of the paint, and that’s why we were able to get back in this game.”
Fox described the mindset behind the comeback as discipline over emotion, saying, “Just being solid. If I have a three, you take it. If they don’t, you try to get to the paint. And if there’s no help, you finish.”
He added, “Try to play as simple as possible. I think made this game a little bit easier.”
On San Antonio’s ability to win on the road, Fox highlighted execution under pressure, saying, “I think that’s big for any team being able to come out and win both games on the road.”
He also pointed to the Spurs’ response to adversity, stating, “We figured out why we’re down and we try to fix that. If you get blown out, you get blown out. You at least live another day.”
Fox praised the atmosphere and momentum swings in the building, saying, “You feel the electricity in a building, especially in a playoff game when you get up like that.”
He concluded by describing San Antonio’s composure once they regained control, saying, “Once we got the lead, we kept playing the right way, and that’s why we were able to blow this lead open.”
