Standout San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper left Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns with a non-contact calf injury.
The Spurs, meanwhile, fell, 130-118 for their first loss of the season following a 5-0 start. Victor Wembanyama failed to crack double figures in the game while posting nine points, nine rebounds, four blocks and six turnovers on a 4-of-14 shooting night from the field.
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Devin Booker countered with 28 points and 13 assists for the Suns while shooting 10 for 15 from the floor.
Harper’s injury
Harper sustained the injury in the second quarter. He hopped on his right leg after landing awkwardly while defending a shot near the basket. He immediately came up limping and wasn’t able to join his Spurs teammates in the frontcourt for their ensuing possession.
Harper was able to walk to the sideline, but he immediately limped to the locker room.
The Spurs ruled him out with a left calf injury before the start of the second half. The nature and severity of the injury wasn’t initially clear.
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San Antonio selected Harper with the No. 2 pick in June’s NBA Draft. Amid the absence of starting point guard De’Aaron Fox, Harper was thrust into a significant role from the outset and thrived in 25.8 minutes per game in a 5-0 Spurs start.
Harper entered Sunday averaging 14.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 48.2% from the field and 35.7% from 3.
An absence of any length will further deplete a shallow Spurs backcourt to start the season.
Fox has yet to play this season while recovering from a preseason hamstring injury. He’s now missed six games including Sunday’s and doesn’t have a precise timeline for a return. Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie project to anchor the San Antonio backcourt in Fox’s and Harper’s absence if Harper ends up missing time.