Spurs’ Tre Jones (33) gets congratulated by teammate Devin Vassell (left) after the Spurs victory over the Detroit Pistons at the AT&T Center on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Spurs defeated the Pistons, 121-109. Jones scored 25 points - one point shy of his career high.
Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographerSAN ANTONIO - Devin Vassell appears poised to play in his first game since Jan. 2 after the Spurs listed him as probable for Thursday night against Indiana at the AT&T Center.
The third-year guard has missed 25 games in a row since last playing in a loss at Brooklyn. He underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in New York on Jan. 11.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said last week that Thursday's game was the loose target date for Vassell's return.
Vassell told the Express-News on Feb. 10 his return would occur after the All-Star break.
“It was definitely a tough decision,” Vassell said of undergoing surgery to repair his chronically sore knee in the midst of a career season in which he had averaged 19.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists while connecting on 40.4 percent of his 3-point attempts.
“Obviously, this is a big year for me, and missing time is tough," Vassell said. "I am a big part of the team. It is hard to sit there and watch a lot of these games knowing that I can help.”
Thursday's game marks the Spurs' return to the AT&T Center after going 1-8 on their rodeo trip. They are 15-47 overall after beating Utah 102-94 on Tuesday to snap a club-record 16-game losing streak.
Even if Vassell returns against the Pacers, the Spurs will still be shorthanded with Isaiah Roby (ankle), Romeo Langford (adductor) and Khem Birch (knee) listed as out on Wednesday's injury report.
The Spurs listed Tre Jones (foot), Keldon Johnson (foot) and Malaki Branham (lower back contusion) as questionable.
Johnson and Branham suffered their injuries late against the Jazz. Jones has missed the last five games in a row.
