Charles Barkley Flames De’Aaron Fox For ‘Dumb’ Layup Attempt That Cost Game 4

Charles Barkley criticizes De'Aaron Fox and the San Antonio Spurs after the veteran All-Star's crucial mistake in Game 4.

Charles Barkley Flames De’Aaron Fox For ‘Dumb’ Layup Attempt That Cost Game 4

Charles Barkley on De'Aaron Fox (Image credits - Firstsportz)

De’Aaron Fox may have committed the biggest blunder of his NBA career. Not only did it cost the San Antonio Spurs the game, it has put them on the brink of elimination as they find themselves 3-1 down in the NBA Finals.

The Spurs were red hot from tip-off in Game 4 as they built a 27-point lead by halftime. However, the New York Knicks pulled off a comeback for the ages and registered a 107-106 victory at the Madison Square on Wednesday night.

In the final 10 seconds of the game, Fox had the ball in transition. Instead of wasting time and getting fouled, he decided to go for a layup. Unfortunately for the Spurs guard, his attempt was blocked at the rim by OG Anunoby.

After the game, Charles Barkley blasted Fox for his shocking decision to go for the layup.

That was a dumb play [By Fox]. He did not have to shoot that ball. They could have just got fouled, there was no reason to shoot that ball.

Charles Barkley on Inside The NBA

De’Aaron Fox is the most experienced player in this young Spurs team. All the Spurs players were guilty of making mistakes in Game 4 but Fox made the biggest one. The game was there for the taking and the Spurs found themselves on the receiving end of the largest comeback in NBA history.

Charles Barkley is known for never mincing his words. He does not shy away from calling out and critiquing players and teams during his analysis. His criticism of Fox was valid as the Spurs could have tied the series at 2-2 heading into Game 5 at home. The shocking loss could put the Spurs at a psychological disadvantage for the next game.

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Isaiah Thomas calls out De’Aaron Fox for his shocking play

While mistakes do occur in tense moments, De’Aaron Fox is the veteran leader of the current Spurs squad. There were doubts about the Spurs’ lack of playoff experience heading into the postseason. However, they were shutting down those questions with their performances throughout the playoffs.

After the game, former NBA champion Isaiah Thomas took to social media to express his views on Fox’s surprising play in the end.

Fox come on fam! Finish that or dribble it out.

Isaiah Thomas on X

Fox has not been at his scoring best during these playoffs. He ended his night on 18 points and shot at just 38% from the field. In the four games played in the NBA Finals, he is averaging just 14.3 points per game.

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De’Aaron Fox explains his late game shot in Game 4

The pressure was high on both teams heading into Game 4. A win for the Spurs would have seen a huge momentum shift in the series, and they were well on course of recording a big win at the Garden. Unfortunately, the game could be summed up in two halves for De’Aaron Fox and the Spurs.

Spurs need De'Aaron Fox back soon
De’Aaron Fox (Image via NBA)

After the loss, Fox explained his decision to take the layup in the dying seconds of the match.

I just thought I’d be able to outrun him. That’s it. I tried to get a layup to get up three. Force them to need a three, and OG made a good block.

De’Aaron Fox in his post match media scrum

It was shocking to see the Spurs just crumble as they did in the second half. After shooting a Finals record 14 three-pointers in a half, the Spurs went cold from the third quarter. In the second half, they scored just 30 points while the Knicks scored 58.

It remains to be seen how the Spurs recover from this loss. If they do end up losing the series, Fox’s decision to go for the wide open layup will be the talking point of the series.

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