San Antonio's offense collapsed when the NBA Finals reached clutch time.
The Spurs posted a 67 offensive rating in clutch minutes across Games 1 through 4 against the New York Knicks. Game 5 barely changed the picture, lifting that number to only 69. New York produced a 129 offensive rating in the same situations.
The gap raised questions about San Antonio's approach. De'Aaron Fox repeatedly operated as the primary closer, often through isolation possessions. Jalen Brunson gave the Knicks a more reliable decision-maker.
Fox was not the only issue. Victor Wembanyama also settled for jump shots during difficult stretches, while the Spurs struggled to create clean attempts when New York tightened its defense.
Some argued that Dylan Harper should have handled more late possessions. Others noted that Harper received opportunities in Game 5 without changing the outcome, pointing to a broader team problem.
San Antonio's inability to adjust became especially costly because the team frequently started well. Once games slowed down, the Spurs could not consistently organize their offense or answer the Knicks' pressure.
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