The post Spurs rookie Dylan Harper has ‘Welcome to the league’ reaction to road trip appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of a stretch that sticks out, even for a franchise linked with a “Rodeo Road Trip.” A game at the Frost Bank Center vs. the Memphis Grizzlies on December 2 serves as the only home date in a stretch of nine games for the Silver and Black. For rookie Dylan Harper, who hasn’t yet endured the yearly rodeo trip because it hits every February, it’s a notice of the leap he’s recently made.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“This is my welcome to the league moment.”
The second overall pick of this past summer’s draft made his way back from a three-and-a-half week absence during a road swing that took the Spurs through Phoenix, Portland – where he returned to action, Denver and Minneapolis.
“We’ve been on the road for, what, nine days?” Dylan said in more exclamation than question.
“Now, we’re about to go back for – I don’t know how long we’re going to go on the road for,” he continued.
Right after the contest vs. the Grizzlies, San Antonio travels to Orlando for a game the very next night. They’re at the Cleveland Cavaliers two days later before traveling to face the New Orleans Pelicans on December 8. Because they won Group C of the NBA Cup, they’ve now got a date on December 10 at the Staples Center. How they fare that night vs. the Group B champion Los Angeles Lakers will determine their next week because, as of now, the schedule then has them open until December 17 vs. the Washington Wizards.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDylan Harper reflects on road trips and way back
The travel itself isn’t all that caught Harper off guard.
“The hardest thing for me is just packing, honestly. Packing enough clothes. I think that’s something that’s very underrated. We, thank God, went to Portland, I was able to go to Nike,” Harper said, alluding to the company with whom he signed an endorsement deal.
“But during this road trip, clothes been running tight,” the former Rutgers star concluded.
“Yeah, definitely. I think getting back in a rhythm, knowing where I need to be on the floor,” the 20-year-old point guard revealed in responding to a question about whether he thinks his explosion is returning as he works his way back.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“And just, honestly, my teammates do a great job of just putting me in the right spots to win. I just go out there, play my game, and I just try not to overthink it.
These games are definitely helping me getting back to myself,” Harper concluded.
Perhaps a night in his own bed will help Harper continue to achieve that sense of normalcy. But that’s about all he’ll get for now as the Spurs fly into San Antonio in the wee hours of the first day of December, only to leave again overnight on December 3.
“You’re home for like 36 hours and, like 24 hours, it’s crazy.”
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