As the Spurs desperately needed a second consistent scorer to emerge down the stretch in Game 1, Dylan Harper instead sat on the bench.
The rookie star out of Rutgers shined in his Finals debut, scoring 16 points in 27 minutes, yet coach Mitch Johnson only used him for 3:33 in the fateful fourth quarter.
Johnson instead relied on inconsistent veteran De’Aaron Fox, who did not score in his 10:57 in the period in the Knicks’ eventual 105-95 road win.
It’s not an easy call to shake up the lineup, especially in the Finals, but the great coaches manage to find ways to utilize their best lineups without ruining team harmony.
Harper only started four games during the regular season and two of the team’s 19 contests this postseason, yet one could argue he was the Spurs’ second-best player Wednesday.
He finished with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including eight rebounds.
Harper did score 12 of those points in the first half before tallying just four in his final 11:19 in the second half, but Fox certainly did not fare better.
Johnson relied too much on the banged-up veteran and it backfired, with Fox scoring just three points in 20:32 in the second half and seven total points in 38 minutes.
Harper’s only burn in the fourth quarter came in the middle-third of the stanza, with the guard entering a tie game with 7:37 remaining and exiting with the Spurs trailing by four.
He did make a critical turnover in that stretch, but did not attempt a shot.
Harper’s shotmaking and rebounding could have been used, though, especially since all other Spurs not named Victor Wembanyama combined for eight points in the fourth quarter.
Devin Vassell shot just 1-for-4 in the quarter, Julian Champagnie — who had a sizzling start from 3-point land — missed both of his shots and Fox came up empty on his two attempts.
Fox does provide a critical skill in running the offense, but he did little to help San Antonio while the team blew a 14-point third-quarter lead.
Perhaps Harper’s rebounding could have been used on the critical offensive board by the Knicks that led to Jalen Brunson’s go-ahead 3-pointer in the final two minutes.
Whether Johnson adjusts his lineup to ride the proverbial hot hand down the stretch going forward could matter against a Knicks team that has now won 12 games and has played well in the final 12 minutes.
