There’s a lot happening with the San Antonio Spurs, but unfortunately, much of it isn’t positive. Gregg Popovich is currently away from the team indefinitely due to an undisclosed health issue.
However, a tweet from long-time San Antonio News Express columnist Mike Finger offered a slightly different perspective on the situation.
Finger noted that this absence is being approached differently compared to Popovich’s previous one- and two-game absences, and he expressed caution about anticipating a quick return: “Still much unknown, with Spurs keeping a very tight circle. Probably wise not to take a quick return for granted.” — Mike Finger (@mikefinger) November 5, 2024. ESPN’s Shams Charania echoed this concern on NBA Today, stating, “There is a great level of concern around the situation.” In the meantime, Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been appointed interim head coach and will remain in that role until Popovich is well enough to come back.
The worry is that this return may take a significant amount of time. Additionally, forward Jeremy Sochan is expected to miss a couple of months as he is set to undergo surgery for a fractured thumb sustained during a game against the Clippers on Monday night. ESPN’s Charania was the first to report that the surgery would be needed.
While the team hasn’t provided a timeline for Sochan’s return, injury analyst Jeff Stotts predicts it could be nearly two months based on his comprehensive injury database: “Re: Jeremy Sochan: The thumb is made up of two bones, the proximal & distal phalanges. The proximal is closer to the base of the thumb and is part of the MCP joint. The average time lost for thumb fractures that require surgery is ~21 games (~52 days).” — Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) November 5, 2024. Sochan has shown improvement this season, averaging 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. However, he has yet to fully connect with Victor Wembanyama on the court; statistically, the Spurs have a -2 net rating when both are playing together, which is similar to the team’s overall -2.6 net rating this season (stats via Cleaning the Glass).
Leave a Reply