Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told the media before Wednesday’s game with the Pelicans that’s he’s “never” seen an injury like the quadriceps tendinopathy that has sidelined All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard for all 17 games this season.
“What’s really strange is that Tony (Parker) has the same injury, but even worse,” said Popovich, as reported by ESPN. “They had to go operate on his quad tendon and put it back together or whatever they did to it. So to have two guys, that’s pretty incredible. I had never seen it before those guys.”
Quadriceps tendinopathy includes a variety of maladies, including tendonitis, that manifests in pain and soreness around the top of the kneecap during and after exercise.
But while Parker ruptured his left quad tendon during last season’s Western Conference semifinals, Leonard has been on the injured list since training camp despite no such catastrophe.
The Spurs have not provided a specific time for either player’s return given the unpredictable nature of their injuries. But Popovich said again that both would be back “sooner rather than later.”
“It’s kind of like being a politician,” he joked. “It’s all baloney, doesn’t mean anything.”
Despite their absences, the Spurs were 11-6 — good for third in the Western Conference entering Wednesday’s game.
