What happened: Spurs beat reporter Jared Weiss detailed how De'Aaron Fox played through a significant ankle injury during San Antonio's Game 7, calling him "another hero" of the win. Weiss wrote that Fox had been "hobbling all series" with no lift and a struggle to make shots, yet stayed cool and never came out. Fox pushed through because he knew how badly the team needed him.

Why it matters: The performance lands hours before San Antonio opens the NBA Finals at home, where Fox's mobility looms as a key swing factor. His refusal to sit helped the Spurs survive a Game 7 and reach the championship round, and his health now becomes one of the series' central questions. This is the same De'Aaron Fox whose fit in the San Antonio lineup fans had been debating only weeks earlier.

What to watch: Watch whether Fox's ankle holds up across a best-of-seven Finals and how San Antonio manages his minutes and shot creation against a rested opponent.