The San Antonio Spurs are kicking off their preseason tonight against Atlanta, but they are doing it without a few key guys, including veteran forward Tobias Harris. That’s a huge blow, especially since Harris isn’t just missing the opener, he’s out for the *entire* preseason slate due to a left calf strain. Talk about hitting the ground running… or not running, in this case.
Early Season Injury Woes Hit Hard
It’s not just Harris on the sidelines either. Rookie forward Maliq Brown is also sitting out tonight with back tightness, and fellow rookie Jayden Quaintance is out indefinitely, still rehabbing from offseason knee surgery. You always want to see your new talent get reps, but these guys are stuck watching. For Harris, missing the whole preseason means zero run with the team before the regular season starts. That’s a tough way to prepare for heavy minutes, no matter how much of a pro you are. It puts pressure on the rest of the squad to step up and build chemistry fast.
De’Aaron Fox Spills on Preseason Reality
Spurs All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox didn’t mince words after Thursday morning’s shootaround, talking about what the preseason really means. He said it’s all about getting into shape for those demanding regular season minutes because pickup games or even scrimmages just don’t feel the same. Fox knows they’ve got a tight window to get ready for that first game, but he also stressed that as pros, they’re expected to deliver. He’s not even expecting rotation players to hit their normal minute counts until the fourth or fifth exhibition game. Fox did mention he wants to play his regular minutes at some point in the preseason, just to make sure he’s totally dialed in. Sounds like a smart approach, especially with key players sidelined.
The Spurs have five preseason games before the real action starts at home against Oklahoma City on October 20th. After tonight’s opener against the Hawks, they’re heading to Phoenix on Saturday, then Utah on Monday. It’s all about ramping up, but with these early absences, you gotta wonder how quickly they’ll get everyone on the same page when it truly counts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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