SAN ANTONIO -- The Spurs might have taken a big blow in their 123-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, losing Tiago Splitter to a right calf injury.
Splitter exited with 5:33 remaining in the first quarter, departing immediately for the locker room with the team's trainer. His status after the game was uncertain, but reporters did see him walking without an apparent limp.
The Spurs previously struggled without the low-post scoring and fluid passing their starting center provides. They were 14-7 when Splitter missed more than a month earlier in the season due to an injured right calf. Splitter's return to the starting lineup sparked the team's current run of 16 wins in 19 games.
"It would be big to miss him," San Antonio star Tim Duncan said. "But honestly, him healthy is what we want. He's gotten a rhythm right now and he's gotten a confidence. I think that would hurt him a lot more [to miss games] than it would hurt us."
Splitter was key to the team's early run Friday night with seven points on 3-for-4 shooting and two rebounds.
He is averaging 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season for the Spurs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.