The San Antonio Spurs are winless through three preseason games, although the team hasn't made keeping score a priority. After their second loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Mitch Johnson sounded off on their lack of effort, although for the most part, giving the young guys some experience has been the focal point.

During Monday's 119-109 loss to the Utah Jazz, nine guys remained on the bench. Carter Bryant was nursing an ankle injury, De'Aaron Fox was dealing with soreness, Tobias Harris had a calf injury, and Jayden Quaintance's knees still have a long way to go. However, Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Malik Williams all got the night off to rest.

Fox has yet to play this preseason, being a last-minute scratch in both games thus far. The Spurs aren't holding that against him.

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Fox being yet to suit up could be cause for alarm. Remember, he missed the first stretch of last season with a hip injury and then played through an ankle injury in the NBA Finals. 

It was during that series that fans turned on him, hoping to see less of Fox and more of Harper in the seasons to follow. The Spurs have given Harper an ample runway towards stardom, but remain committed to Fox, who is under contract for four seasons.

The injuries, to them, are of little concern.

"De'Aaron Fox has proved over his career, before he got to us, and with us that he's a tough, durable player," said Mitch Johnson. "And I think when you look back at the playoffs in totality, when you start talking about the Minnesota series and then the Oklahoma City series and into the Finals, he proved exactly that. So, yeah, I think nothing's changed there. There are a lot of things that obviously get more attention when you get further into the playoffs, rightfully so. That's the business that we're in, and that's how this thing works. And that comes with probably more praise than you deserve and more criticism than is probably true."

Had it not been for Fox's blunders, the Spurs very possibly could have won the NBA Finals. However, had it not been for his stellar play down the stretch, they never would have made it that far in the first place.

Fox has long proven that he's one of the NBA's best guards. Until he proves otherwise, the Spurs will ride with him.