Last night was the first tough one of the season. Not only did the Spurs lose for the first time in six tries (11 if you count the preseason), but they also lost rookie guard Dylan Harper, who has quietly been on a tear to open the season, after he landed awkwardly while trying to contest a Suns layup. He limped off the court afterwards and left in a walking boot and crutches, adding on to the Spurs’ depleted roster.
Today, after running an MRI in Los Angeles ahead of Wednesday’s tilt with the Lakers, Harper has been diagnosed with a strained calf but no ligament damage, which is about as good of news as everyone could have hoped for, all things considered. However, reports vary on how much time he could potentially miss, with ESPN’s Shams Charania saying “multiple weeks”, while San Antonio Express News’ Tom Orsborn reports a Spurs spokesperson says he is “day-to-day” but will not return this week.
Regardless of when he will return, the good news is there is no damage, although considering both how extremely cautious the Spurs have been with bringing back their currently-injured players and the recent history suggesting calf issues can lead to Achilles ruptures, expect them to act with an abundance of caution on this one. Losing Harper puts a strain on the Spurs’ already-depleted guard depth, so hopefully De’Aaron Fox is close to returning (he has been fully participating in practice since the start of the season).
In 6 games with the Spurs so far, Harper has averaged 14 points on 50% shooting, 4 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
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