Rookie Dylan Harper shared his thoughts following the San Antonio Spurs’ 124-113 loss to the New York Knicks in Tuesday’s NBA Cup final at T-Mobile Arena. “It was an unbelievable experience to be a part of this…I’m 3 months into the NBA and I get to go through things like this with a great group of guys,” Harper said.
Harper acknowledged the challenge of playing on such a high-stakes stage. “The mindset we went into the game…we got away from it in the fourth quarter, but overall we’re going to take a lot from it and apply it to the next time,” he added.
When asked about lessons for future high-pressure games, Harper emphasized the importance of intensity and focus. “It’s do or die. You’ve seen the level of intensity rise…we all know that we’ve got to go out there and play 110% in order to win things like this,” he said.
Harper discussed the difficulties of executing half-court offense with key teammates recently returning. “Vic just got back, Steph just got back, and all of us were out at one time. Finding how to play with each other at a high level comes with time and experience,” he said.
The rookie highlighted the team’s effort and physicality. “You see how hard we’re playing out there, diving for loose balls, going to get offensive rebounds, just doing anything we could do to help our team win,” Harper said.
Reflecting on the team’s growth, Harper noted, “It’s our second game together. Nothing to overreact about. Being on this side is definitely a good learning experience. It teaches us a lot about ourselves.”
Harper also shared advice from his father, a five-time NBA champion, on staying composed during long seasons. “He always tells me there’s 82 games in the season. Every game isn’t going to go your way, but staying levelheaded through it all is the biggest thing he’s told me,” Harper said.
Despite the defeat, Harper remains optimistic about his future. “I’ve got a lot more time to hopefully come back and play in this event. I’m very excited just to be in this position,” he said.
San Antonio struggled to match New York’s physicality, with Dylan Harper scoring 21 points off the bench, Victor Wembanyama adding 18, and De’Aaron Fox contributing 16. The Knicks overcame a second-half deficit behind OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, who combined for 53 points, and dominated the glass 59-42.
The Spurs return home to face Washington on Thursday, while the Knicks travel to Indiana, celebrating their first NBA Cup banner in franchise history.
