In the summer of 1984, Magic Johnson walked off the Boston Garden floor carrying a nickname he desperately wanted to avoid. After a series of late-game mistakes in the NBA Finals against the Celtics, critics temporarily rebranded the Lakers superstar as “Tragic Magic,” a reminder that even the league’s brightest stars can see one decision overshadow everything that came before it.

More than four decades later, another point guard found himself answering questions about a split-second decision. This time, the criticism came after one of the most stunning collapses in NBA Finals history, and longtime Spurs fan Michelle Beadle wasn’t interested in softening her reaction.

Following the 107-106 loss on Wednesday, long-time San Antonio Spurs fan Michelle Beadle of Run It Back couldn’t contain her anger. On FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, Beadle initially joked that she was packing brass knuckles and a trident for Game 5. The humor quickly disappeared once the conversation turned to San Antonio’s collapse.

“The anger I feel is without words this morning,” Beadle said before launching into a lengthy criticism of San Antonio’s performance.

The reaction carried extra weight given Beadle’s long connection to the franchise. The Texas native began her sports media career as an intern with the Spurs organization and has spent years publicly supporting the team through championship runs, rebuilding seasons, and playoff heartbreaks.

“I’m so angry. How are you up 29 points and you lose in that building to those fans and that owner? Shameful. It was shameful,” Michelle Beadle ranted. “And De’Aaron Fox, 200 and well, whatever million dollars is for you to be a veteran presence. Guess what? You were the worst person on the floor last night. And I know you don’t want to blame one person, Boogie, but we can go ahead and give him a big old chunk of that pie, because that was absolutely gross.”

DeMarcus Cousins offered a more measured response.

“Regardless if he’s a veteran or not, he’s still going through the learning process himself. And it showed last night,” Cousins said.

But Fox’s decision became a major talking point because it arrived after San Antonio had already squandered most of a 29-point lead. The final possession simply became the defining image of a much larger collapse.

That sequence began with San Antonio still in control of the game.

With about 13 seconds left and the Spurs clinging to a 1-point lead, De’Aaron Fox chased down a loose ball and tried to finish it himself.

Things only unraveled further as Fox sent Jose Alvarado to the line at halfcourt. “I just thought I’d be able to outrun him,” Fox said about his play. “That’s it.”

Fox later explained that he was trying to extend the lead rather than run out the clock.

“We haven’t scored. I tried to get a layup to get up three. Force them to need a three. OG made a good block. I just thought I’d be able to outrun them. That’s it,” he said.

The criticism centered less on the missed layup and more on the game situation. With 12.8 seconds remaining, San Antonio held a one-point lead, possessed the ball, and New York had no timeouts remaining. Running clock and forcing a foul would have significantly reduced the Knicks’ chances of getting a clean final possession.

Meanwhile, a late double team on Jalen Brunson left the paint exposed. Brunson’s three with 1.2 seconds left missed the rim, but the bounce fell perfectly for Anunoby. He buried the tip-in and handed New York a stunning series lead. The block immediately flipped the game. New York recovered possession, pushed the ball up the floor, and seconds later watched Anunoby finish the sequence himself with the game-winning tip-in.

NBA Legend Charles Barkley Rips the Spurs and De’Aaron Fox

The final sequence became the story, but it wasn’t the reason the Spurs lost. San Antonio led 76-49 at halftime and by as many as 29 points before the offense completely stalled. After scoring 76 points in the first half, the Spurs managed only 30 in the second half as New York gradually erased the deficit.

“We got away from what got us the 76 points in the first half,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson admitted afterward. “We just needed a few more tough-minded plays to finish the job.”

Charles Barkley placed the blame on more than just Fox.

“We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization,” Barkley said on Inside the NBA. “When you blow a 29-point lead, the other team has to help you.”

Barkley’s frustration stemmed from what he viewed as repeated self-inflicted mistakes throughout the second half, including rushed three-point attempts and poor clock management.

“We’ll call his a** De’Aaron tonight. That was a dumb*** play. He did not have to shoot that ball,” Chuck said.

While Fox’s blocked layup became the defining moment of Game 4, even the Spurs acknowledged the loss was bigger than a single possession. Afterward, Victor Wembanyama offered a blunt assessment of the collapse.

“We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half. Stopped moving the ball. Stopped executing. It was painful, of course. It feels like we worked too hard and gave up our lead. It’s as simple as that.”

Fox’s blocked layup will likely remain the defining image of Game 4. But as Wembanyama, Johnson, Barkley, and even Cousins all suggested in different ways, the Spurs lost far more than a single possession on Wednesday night.