'Hell of a Player': Spurs' Josh Primo Flashes Potential vs. Thunder
During the San Antonio Spurs' 118-112 preseason loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Josh Primo had a standout performance. He finished with a team-high 23 points and four assists in 24 minutes of action off the bench.
Primo, who missed the Spurs' first three preseason games, took advantage of his final opportunity to shake off some rust against external competition. He was sidelined due to a left MCL sprain.
“He hasn’t played much in the preseason, so he’s just trying to get his rhythm back,” Popovich said. “He’s a talented young man. He’s going to have opportunities to score with his aggressiveness.”
There was a clear emphasis on being aggressive from Primo against the Thunder. He was doing a lot of damage in ball screen actions, pushed the pace in semi-transition, and even showed off some flashes like a step-back short-range jumper along with some off-ball production.
Primo showed off a little bit of everything, often taking advantage of Josh Giddey's poor lateral quickness out in space and the Thunder's lack of rim protection. Managing to build on his performance that occurred against underwhelming competition will be key.
Primo's teammates have continued to encourage him to attack and to be confident in his talent. The former lottery pick will be needing to take full advantage of the opportunity early in the rebuilding process to cement his standing long-term.
“Primo is a hell of a player,” Spurs forward Devin Vassell said. “I think (the key) is his confidence. As long as we instill that confidence in him and let him be aggressive, it’s going to be a great season for him.”
Primo will begin the regular season in a bench role, which would present a real chance to play with the basketball in his hands as a focal point of the offense. It's safe to say, he will put up career-best numbers compared to his average of 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists during his rookie campaign.
“(Coming off the bench is) nothing new for me,” Primo said. “I’ve started. I’ve come off the bench. It doesn’t change my mentality. No matter what, I’m going to have the same type of energy.”
The Spurs open the NBA regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 7:00 p.m (CDT) against the Charlotte Hornets at AT&T Center.
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