The San Antonio Spurs may suddenly be facing a full-blown backcourt crisis ahead of the most important game of their season.
Rookie guard Dylan Harper was added to San Antonio’s injury report Tuesday and is listed as questionable for Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves because of left knee soreness.
The development comes just one day after star guard De’Aaron Fox was also listed as questionable because of left ankle soreness, creating major uncertainty around the Spurs’ backcourt entering the pivotal matchup.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
Dylan Harper Injury Update Creates New Spurs Concern Before Game 5
Harper’s late addition to the injury report immediately raised alarms after the rookie delivered one of the best playoff performances of his young career in Sunday’s Game 4 loss.
The second overall pick exploded for 24 points, seven rebounds and three steals in 27 minutes while helping keep San Antonio competitive after Victor Wembanyama was ejected early in the second quarter.
Harper aggressively attacked Minnesota’s defense throughout the second half and nearly helped the Spurs steal home-court advantage back late in the fourth quarter.
According to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News, Harper still participated in Tuesday morning’s shootaround despite the knee soreness.
That development offers at least some optimism regarding his availability.
Still, with Fox already battling an ankle issue, San Antonio suddenly faces the possibility of entering Game 5 without its two primary backcourt creators at full strength.
Next Man Up: Keldon Johnson
If either Fox or Harper is limited Tuesday night, the Spurs may need a significantly larger offensive contribution from Keldon Johnson.
Johnson has served as an important rotational scorer throughout the postseason, but could now be thrust into a much bigger playmaking role if San Antonio’s guard depth is compromised.
Harper has averaged 13.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists across nine playoff games during his rookie postseason run while continuing to show flashes of star-level upside.
Fox, meanwhile, has averaged 16.8 points and 4.0 assists in the Minnesota series while helping stabilize the offense alongside Wembanyama.
The Spurs already survived one major scare after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday that Wembanyama would avoid further suspension following his Flagrant 2 ejection in Game 4.
Now, San Antonio’s attention has shifted directly toward the health of its backcourt.
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves Seizing Momentum
Minnesota enters Game 5 with renewed momentum after rallying late Sunday behind Anthony Edwards, who scored 36 points in Game 4, including 16 in the fourth quarter.
The Timberwolves capitalized on Wembanyama’s absence late in the game as Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid controlled the paint during the closing minutes.
The series now effectively becomes a best-of-three with the winner of Game 5 gaining a massive historical advantage.
Game 5 has often served as the turning point in NBA playoff series, underscoring the enormous stakes surrounding Tuesday night’s matchup.
That reality makes the Spurs’ growing injury concerns even more alarming.
Spurs Facing Massive Pressure Ahead of Pivotal Game 5
San Antonio entered the postseason believing its combination of Wembanyama, Fox and Harper could accelerate the franchise’s championship timeline.
Instead, the Spurs are suddenly battling injuries at the worst possible moment.
If Harper and Fox are both limited — or unavailable altogether — the pressure on Wembanyama to carry the offense against Minnesota’s physical defense could become overwhelming.
And against an increasingly confident Timberwolves team led by Edwards, even a slight disadvantage may prove costly.
Spurs Hit With Another Major Injury Concern Before Pivotal Game 5