Rudy Gay showing he's past Achilles injury, and Spurs are reaping the rewards

When players run out for warm-ups, there's always a small handful that require some extra work from trainers on the floor. Rudy Gay is one of them. Before the Spurs' game Friday night against the Magic he's taking a little longer than the rest. That's because the Spurs are trying to make sure he's healthy and in the best shape possible.

As they should.

The Achilles injury Gay is trying to come back from has ruined careers, and the players who do manage to keep playing rarely look the same. This is why Gay's quick return and immediate solid play has been so surprising.

Through five games, Gay is averaging 12 points and four rebounds a game with the Spurs while sporting an on/off net rating of 5.5. He's shooting 52 percent from the field and has a true shooting percentage of 58 percent.