Spurs Officially Rule Out De’Aaron Fox for Game 2 Against Thunder

Spurs Officially Rule Out De’Aaron Fox for Game 2 Against Thunder

Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox ruled out for Western Conference finals Game 2 vs.  Thunder - Yahoo Sports

The San Antonio Spurs will once again be without one of their biggest stars as De’Aaron Fox has officially been ruled out for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Fox went through pregame warmups Wednesday night and was initially listed as a game-time decision, but the Spurs later confirmed he would not play due to the lingering right ankle injury that has bothered him since the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The All-Star guard managed to push through the injury during Games 5 and 6 of that series, but the condition has clearly not improved. Spurs staff previously acknowledged that the ankle issue requires significant rest, making his status for the remainder of the series something to closely monitor.

Despite Fox’s absence, San Antonio already proved it can still compete at the highest level.

The Spurs stunned Oklahoma City in Game 1 on the road, stealing home-court advantage behind a dominant performance from Victor Wembanyama and a breakout playoff showing from rookie guard Dylan Harper.

Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (ankle) out of Game 2 of West Finals | NBA.comStarting in place of Fox, Harper delivered one of the best performances of his young career, finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and an incredible 7 steals while committing only one turnover during San Antonio’s double-overtime victory.

The rookie repeatedly attacked the Thunder defense fearlessly, using his size, strength, and athleticism to finish difficult shots around the basket.

While Harper brings a different style than Fox — relying more on versatility and physicality rather than pure speed — his emergence has given San Antonio another dangerous weapon alongside Wembanyama.

Spurs' De'Aaron Fox out of Game 2 of West finals against Thunder with ankle  issue :: WRAL.comOf course, the Spurs would prefer to have both guards available, especially against the defending champions. But after their Game 1 win, San Antonio has already shown the Thunder they won’t back down, even without one of their top stars on the floor.

Now the biggest question becomes: how long can the Spurs continue surviving without De’Aaron Fox?