Morez Johnson Jr. Upgraded to Probable Against Spurs After Battling the World's Most Relatable Injury

The Dallas Mavericks are finally getting some good news on the injury front, with rookie forward Morez Johnson Jr. officially upgraded to probable for Saturday's matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. Underdog NBA reported the update, signaling the ninth overall pick is ready to push through his recent bout of right shin splints.

Shin splints are objectively the most relatable injury on an NBA scouting report. It is the exact same ailment that sidelines a 35-year-old accountant who decided to start jogging on pavement, except Johnson is a 6-foot-9, 250-pound professional athlete trying to survive the second night of a back-to-back.

"Underdog NBA reported: 'Morez Johnson Jr. (shin) upgraded to probable Saturday.'"

The rookie has been a steady presence for Dallas when healthy, putting up 7.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Head coach Dusty May has been managing Johnson's lower-leg soreness since training camp, treating the prized rookie like a vintage sports car that cannot be driven in the rain.

This probable tag is a massive relief for a Mavericks frontcourt that was staring down a heavy workload. If Johnson had been ruled out, guys like Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, and Tobi Lawal would have been forced to absorb a significant bump in minutes against a massive Spurs front line.

For anyone eyeing the prop market, Johnson's return stabilizes the rotation. You no longer have to blindly guess which Dallas bench player is going to randomly play 28 minutes and ruin your under tickets.

Barring a pregame setback during warmups, expect Johnson to be out there on Saturday night. The Mavericks need his size in the paint, and the rookie needs the reps if he is going to justify that lottery-pick price tag by April.