The Spurs' performance in Game 1 against the Knicks was disappointing, but Dylan Harper was not. The rookie scored 16 points while converting on 60% of his shots in 28 minutes. If you look at his performance and contrast it with De'Aaron Fox's, you can't help but wonder if Mitch Johnson should give him more minutes moving forward into the series.
Fox did have some decent moments, but he struggled in this game for the most part. He couldn't find his shooting stroke, scoring just seven points on 3-for-13 from the floor. His turnovers were also an issue as he gave the ball up three times.
Now, it is true that De'Aaron is still nursing an injury. But, on this stage, adjustments have to happen. If Fox can't perform like the All-Star that he is due to an ailment, then it has to be the next man up. It shouldn't be a difficult decision to give Dylan Harper more of a nod moving into Game 2.
Dylan Harper's given us reasons to trust him in the clutch
Harper was explosive the second he subbed in the game. The Knicks couldn't keep him from getting to the rim as he drove by defenders and unleashed a vast array of creative finishes at the basket. He was also an elite rebounder, pulling down eight.
Despite his impressive start, Coach Johnson decided to sub him out for De'Aaron Fox during the deciding stretch of the fourth quarter. With that, I had one simple question: why?
Fox had no offensive flow all night long and struggled to take care of the basketball. Harper was just better than him tonight, so what's the justification for not trusting him to close things out? Experience isn't a viable excuse because we've already seen Dylan make a handful of clutch plays for the Spurs during this postseason run.
You have to ride the hot hand. In this case, that was Harper. He was their most efficient creator tonight, and he kept good control of the ball. Sure, the stakes are high, but he already proved that he's built for these moments.
Harper's rookie year is still shocking to watch
Coaching criticisms aside, it's still fun to sit back and conceptualize what Dylan is doing right now. He's a 20-year-old rookie playing on the biggest stage of his career, yet he hasn't been rattled. The playoff lights aren't too bright for him at all.
We haven't seen a first-year player this fearless in a long time. Not too many through modern NBA history were crucial parts of their team's offense while competing for a championship. Harper's just a rare breed.
He's earned the right to play over 30 minutes in settings like this. Going into Game 2, there should be no hesitation from Mitch Johnson to give him some more time on the floor, especially in the closing moments. His offensive brilliance could very well be one of the leading factors behind the Spurs tying the series up on Friday night.
