Spurs coach Mitch Johnson reacts to return of rookie Dylan Harper

Rookie Dylan Harper returned from a 10-game absence, helping the San Antonio Spurs to a road victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Cup.

Harper produced seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the 115-102 win at the Moda Center. He finished by shooting 2-of-8 from the field in 16 minutes, 31 seconds off the bench as the Spurs improved to 2-1 in the in-season tournament.

The No. 2 pick showed flashes of the production he provided before going down with a left calf strain, from his downhill attacking to his 3-point shooting. He was also productive without the ball in his hands, crashing the glass and chasing after loose balls.

"I thought he was great," coach Mitch Johnson said. "We needed all 16 1/2 minutes of his. It is just good to see him back on the court. It is the kid's (seventh) game. He has been out for almost a month. He was great."

Harper sustained his injury in a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 2 and was expected to miss "multiple weeks." He was initially listed by the team as questionable to play on Wednesday and was eventually upgraded to available about 1 1/2 hours before tipoff.

The Spurs plan to gradually increase his workload on the court after missing nearly one month of action. He saw 3-4 minute bursts in each of the first two quarters before logging nearly five-minute stints in the second half with the second unit.

"He was fried," Johnson joked. "That is a part of the process."

Harper is averaging 13 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 37.5% shooting from 3-point range with the Spurs. He is sixth among all rookies in scoring average and is one of 10 first-year players to score at least 20 points in a game this season.

The former Rutgers standout has emerged as a key player off the bench for Johnson to start the season, with his dynamic scoring ability and potential on defense. His return to the lineup should provide a tremendous boost for the group.

"He is trying to get his fitness level back to what it was," Johnson said. "He has played (seven) games. He is going to be fantastic as a pro. (He just has to) keep getting in shape and get his reps back."

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Spurs news: Mitch Johnson reacts to return of rookie Dylan Harper