San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker to return vs. Mavericks

Tony Parker will make his 2017-18 season debut for the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, Nov. 27.

The San Antonio Spurs were without Tony Parker for the first 19 games of the 2017-18 season. He suffered a torn quad in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, which caused him to miss training camp, the preseason and the previously-noted games.

However, on Sunday, Parker officially announced his return. In a Facebook post, the 35-year-old said, he will be back for Monday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. He noted his excitement around playing again, saying it has been tough in recent months.

The Spurs Twitter account then confirmed the post:

HE’S BACK! Can’t wait to have you back on the court tomorrow, @tonyparker! pic.twitter.com/BTOk3RMeKg

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 26, 2017

Parker was one of two key players for the Silver and Black didn’t have for the first quarter of the season. Kawhi Leonard is the other, who remains without a return timetable. Without them, the Spurs were 12-7, having last defeated the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.

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For the point guard position, Patty Mills has handled the duties for the past 12 games. Dejounte Murray started the season as the leading one guard, until he was replaced after the seventh game. There’s no word on how the rotation will look, when Parker returns, who was the starter for the previous 16 years.

Given the current pecking order, will the Frenchman push Mills into the sixth man spot? That was his previous role, before taking the starting duties in the playoffs and over the last 12 games. Unless head coach Gregg Popovich feels satisfied with the lineup he’s used for the past three weeks.

For Murray, he’s played around 20 minutes per game since being benched. Parker’s return could see this potentially cut in half. Obviously, it would mean a reduced role and as the third-string point guard.

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Stay tuned for Parker’s return, as the Spurs play the Mavericks on Monday, Nov. 27 at 8:30 p.m. ET.