Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs surrendered a 29-point lead in a crushing loss to the New York Knicks during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. For Spurs fans, it was hard to watch.
Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) exults during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks came back from a 29-point deficit to defeat the Spurs, 107-106. They now lead the series 3-1.
Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
For Spurs fans, the team’s collapse in the second half of Wednesday’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals was hard to watch. Above, Danny Ramof wears his Spurs suit jacket while taking in the game at Atlee’s Rally in San Antonio.
Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News
From left, Lindsay Sewell, Ben Sewell, Liam Thomas and Morgan Dalglish cheer on the Spurs as they watch Game 4 of the NBA finals at Atlee’s Rally in San Antonio. The game ended badly for the Spurs, leaving fans stunned and dejected.
Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News
Spurs fans are feeling down, and you can hardly blame them.
Their team didn’t just lose Game 4 of the NBA Finals to the New York Knicks. They lost in spectacular, soul-crushing fashion, frittering away a 29-point lead. They lost in historic fashion: No team had ever overcome such a large deficit to win an NBA Finals game. Until Wednesday night.
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Can the Spurs rebound from such a dispiriting defeat? Possibly. But our purpose here is not to handicap their chances. It’s to offer coping tips for fans who are struggling with morning-after feelings of downheartedness.
“Sports depression” is not a clinical condition. But it is real and can affect fans’ mood, feelings of self-worth, ability to concentrate … even their sleep.
There are proven methods of coping, and they center on finding ways to avoid reliving the disappointment. Here’s what psychologists and therapists who have studied the downside of fandom recommend.
Don’t doom-scroll
PrairieCare, a psychiatric healthcare system in Minnesota, prescribes a “digital detox” for dejected fans: “Take a step back from the incoming media and recognize your feelings rather than absorb someone else’s perspective.”
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Abstain from X, Facebook and other online environments where you’ll be bombarded with reminders of the Spurs’ collapse. Social platforms rely on algorithms to divine your interests and passions and feed you more of what gets you worked up emotionally. So expect to see a lot of Spurs coverage and commentary in your feeds after Game 4. It won’t be pretty.
The answer? Stay off the platforms for now. You can go back when you’re ready.
Remember the 99.5% rule
Your emotional connection with the Spurs makes wins and losses seem more important than they are. It’s physiological: Research has shown that watching a favorite team win triggers a release of dopamine, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical.
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“It’s the same neurotransmitter that is activated when we achieve personal success, reinforcing our emotional investment,” writes Patrick McElwaine, a clinical psychologist in Newtown, Pa. “Conversely, losses can activate areas of the brain associated with pain and disappointment, making sports heartbreak feel all too real.”
Keep reminding yourself it’s just a game.
Anthony J. Centore, founder of Thriveworks, a nationwide provider of counseling and psychiatric care, urges downcast fans to pause and reflect on all the things that aren’t affected in the least by a loss.
“99.5% of everything else is still important in your life and hasn’t changed,” he told NJ.com. “The sun still rises the next day. My friends are still here. My family is here.”
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Distract yourself
Go to the gym, watch a movie, read a book, play a video game. These and other activities can take your mind off Game 4’s heartbreak and help you put it in perspective.
Talk about it
Don’t isolate yourself. Connecting with friends and fellow fans can help you vent your disappointment and ultimately let it go.
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The Spurs’ failure isn’t yours
Remember that you’re a worthwhile person even if your favorite team just stank up Madison Square Garden. This requires being aware of your strong emotional investment in the Spurs and not letting it get the better of you.
Therapists call this “deconstructing parasocial ties.” (“Parasocial” means one-sided, like celebrity-worship.) In other words, bear in mind that the Spurs’ failure does not reflect on you.
“For die-hard fans, the emotional investment in their team can become intertwined with their sense of identity, making losses feel like personal failures,” writes Jeffery Williams, founder and CEO of Hoode, a Florida-based clothing brand, and a prominent mental health advocate.
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“Remember that sports are just games,” he says, “and while they hold significance in your life, they don’t define your worth as a person.”