Spurs are absolute geniuses for their approach to injuries like Tobias Harris' calf strain

Nobody in this league handles player health better than the Spurs. Tobias Harris still not having played a game is the latest example of that reality. Look across the league at the injury bug spreading like a locust invasion. San Antonio will do everything in their power to ensure they don't fall victim.

The former Pistons forward strained his left calf in the first week of training camp. He missed the entire preseason, and after Wednesday's overtime win in Utah, he's now missed all five regular-season games, and there's still no return date. Mitch Johnson told Tom Orsborn before the game that Harris is "progressing on the court," and then said the part Spurs Nation should like hearing.

"It's a tough one. I understand he wants to be out there, and he's getting closer, (but) it's just something we will be unfortunately conservative with," Coach Johnson said. "Got to make sure he's in shape, and when he's out there, we want him to be out there (fully healthy)."

Put "Unfortunately conservative" on a T-shirt.

The Spurs took the same approach with Victor Wembanyama

Wemby strained his calf against Golden State last November. San Antonio didn't bring him back for a month. The Alien missed 12 games, then returned in the NBA Cup semifinals on a minutes restriction. None of it stopped him from leading the Silver and black to the NBA Finals.

That's the house style. The norm. A Tuesday. It isn't new, and it's been working. Harris is 34. It's okay that he hasn't suited up yet because a calf is the kind of thing that pops up over and over again if you rush it.

Jalen Williams' first lost season is what the Spurs are avoiding

What happened to the Thunder's J-Dub is so heartbreaking, partly because of how hard he worked to come back after missing most of last year's campaign. Williams kept tweaking something, kept rehabbing, kept coming back, and played 33 regular-season games. He only played five of OKC's 15 playoff games. That's a pattern San Antonio doesn't need.

Now look at the report around the league. Anthony Edwards is out for two months, Jaren Jackson Jr. tore an MCL, Ben Simmons is out, the list goes on and on. ESPN's Shams Charania reported so many injuries that fans were almost getting mad at him for doing his job.

So if anything, the carnage everywhere should make Spurs fans feel better about how the franchise handles things. They're the one organization in the West I'd trust to tell a player no when he wants to get on the floor.

So Harris continues to sit. It doesn't matter if it's four games or 14 games. Whatever it ends up being, he's a depth piece signed for the mid-level. His early absence won't keep this team from 60-plus wins. Take as long as you need, Tobias.

San Antonio's refusal to flinch on this stuff is admirable. It's one of the least flashy things the Spurs do and probably the most valuable.

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