De’Aaron Fox praised his San Antonio Spurs teammates after their 132-119 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday at crypto.com Arena. Fox highlighted the collective effort that secured the team’s spot in the NBA Cup semifinals.
Fox credited Stephon Castle for his two-way impact. “Even last year, he’s playing some kind of winning basketball… he was big for us on both ends of the court tonight,” Fox said, noting Castle’s contributions in scoring, distributing and defending Luka Doncic.
Keldon Johnson’s early impact also received praise. “KJ… immediately gets an offensive rebound, a loose ball or scores. He brings so much energy for us every night,” Fox said, highlighting Johnson’s role in maintaining momentum throughout the game.
Fox thought about building chemistry with Castle and Dylan Harper. “Off the field… we do game nights, play board games, figure out ways to get together… on the field their talent makes it easy to play on,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of selflessness and a vision on the field.
The guard discussed combining a fast attack with Victor Wembanyama’s unique skills. “Even with him, we get the ball out with Vic behind us… he can create for himself or for someone else, which adds dynamism to our attack,” Fox said, outlining how Spurs are adapting whether Wembanyama is on the pitch or on the sidelines.
Guiding Dylan Harper was another point of interest. “We want him to take the ball, go downhill, create for himself, create a shot for someone else and continue to do that,” Fox said, emphasizing the balance between nurturing talent and maintaining team identity.
Fox recalled a crucial late 3-pointer that helped halt the Lakers’ comeback. “When I played against Steph … I got a wide-open three. If I don’t hit that, I’m probably not going to miss that shot,” he said, underscoring the team’s mature response to pressure.
Reflecting on the high-stakes competition, Fox expressed confidence in the Spurs’ abilities. “Even without Vic, we have so much talent on this team… this is just a stepping stone… we want to win the NBA championship,” he said, emphasizing the team’s long-term goals beyond the NBA Cup.
Fox’s comments underscored the Spurs’ balance of youth and experience as they prepare to take on defending champion Oklahoma City in the semifinals next Saturday. Spurs look to continue their surge of nine wins in 12 games while navigating a fast, versatile attack.
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