Keep your eye on TP during this shortened season

This shortened NBA season is going to be at a frantic pace and not to mention, the new schedule isn’t going to be kind on any team.

But as training camp is underway and the San Antonio Spurs gear up for their first preseason game versus the Houston Rockets, one player Spurs fans should keep an eye on is Tony Parker.

Parker has been on the court pretty much all offseason and lockout. Soon after the Spurs were ousted from the playoffs by Memphis, Parker did the following:

• Played in 10 games, averaging 35 minutes for the French national team at EuroBasket 2011. Not to mention the various tune-up games heading into EuroBasket.
• Played seven games, averaging 30.6 minutes for French team ASVEL-Villeurbanne including one game at the Eurocup and put in 37 minutes.
• Parker sat out a game for ASVEL due to experiencing shoulder pain which required injections.
• And though TP did immediately stop playing for ASVEL once the lockout was all but over, he is now in the midst of training camp with the first Spurs’ preseason game this weekend.

Keep in mind Parker may be the youngest of the “Big 3” but he has plenty of miles on his legs. Remember he has been playing with San Antonio since 19-years old and has gone through many deep playoff runs including long marches toward three NBA titles.

Add the fact the Spurs will be dealing with their own back-to-back-to-back game situations, and it could be possible Parker might run out of gas or could quite possibly experience some injuries due to wear-and-tear of playing throughout the summer.

Now granted coach Popovich will monitor Parker’s minutes, and newly signed point guard T.J. Ford will lighten the load for TP but it is something to keep an eye on as the season marches on.