Gregg Popovich is likely to return to the San Antonio Spurs' sideline for Sunday's road game against the Boston Celtics.

Ettore Messina has served as head coach in two straight wins as Popovich has been sidelined due to a minor medical procedure.

“We didn’t talk about that but the fact he was here this morning speaks to a very, very good development,” Messina said. “That’s what I assume (that Popovich will return on Sunday). I didn’t talk to him about that, and he didn’t say anything but I assume that he is moving in the right direction so I would not be surprised to see him very, very soon. Also because I don’t think he likes to stay at home and watch the game.”

Popovich participated in preparations for Friday’s game.

The San Antonio Spurs have assigned forward Kyle Anderson to the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League.

This will mark Anderson’s first assignment to Austin this season.

The former UCLA Bruin has appeared in six games this season for San Antonio, averaging 1.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per contest.

The San Antonio Spurs will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday for the first time since LeBron James returned to the franchise.

“I didn’t even think that was a possibility,” Tim Duncan said of James’ return to Cleveland. “But I respect the fact that he actually did that. He went back home and is trying to do something there, and trying to put a team together and trying to win a championship.

“Honestly I haven’t seen too much of it. Obviously they’re very impressive talent-wise, top to bottom. They have a bunch of all-stars, a bunch of very good players and it’s just about meshing and chemistry right now. Hopefully they don’t find it any time soon.”

The Spurs have faced a James' team three separate times in the Finals.

Marc Gasol will be the New York Knicks' main free agent target next offseason, but the San Antonio Spurs will pursue Gasol assuming Tim Duncan retires after the season.

Gasol is also appealed by staying with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies can offer Gasol the most money, and he has grown to love the city, having lived there since high school when Pau Gasol broke into the NBA.

The San Antonio Spurs rank 29th in points per possession on offense to begin the season, which is shocking considering how dominant they were last season and in the Finals against the Miami Heat.

The Spurs are generating fewer open catch-and-shoot jumpers, as more of their shots are coming off the dribble and later in the shot clock. San Antonio is also shooting fewer corner 3s.

Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs were unable to agree upon a long-term extension before the Oct. 31 deadline.

Leonard will become a restricted free agent in the 2015 offseason.

Leonard had a career-high 28 points in the Spurs' 89-85 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

"We ran more plays for him tonight than I ever have in his career," Popovich said afterward. "That's the plan. We've got to start giving him the ball. You know, he's the future. I don't think Timmy (Duncan) and Manu (Ginobili) are going to play any more than maybe six or seven more years. So we've got to let somebody else do something."

The Spurs' motivation for waiting on Leonard's extension is to pursue free agents should Tim Duncan retire.

"I was never upset about (the extension)," Leonard said. "I mean they explained to me what their deal is and why they didn't do it yet. That'll play out. I'm just here to play basketball and have fun and try to win another championship. If I think about that, then I'm not going to be the same player that I am and will be just out of it.

"I can't be impatient. It would show on the floor, and I won't compete if I'm thinking about getting the ball. I'm just going out there to do my role, the same role — defense first and then see how the ball turns out on the offensive end."

Leonard expects to remains with the Spurs.

"I don't think I'm going anywhere," Leonard said. "I mean they love me here. I like the organization, and if it was up to me, I want to finish out with one team like a lot of great players have done, to stay with one organization their whole career and just be loyal to that. You never know. We'll see what happens next summer, but I'm pretty sure I'll be in a Spurs jersey for my whole life."

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat in five games in the 2014 NBA Finals, playing especially well in Games 3, 4 and 5.

"We'll never play better than we did the last three games of the Finals," said Gregg Popovich.

On a points per 100 possessions basis, the Spurs scored 131.0 in Game 3, 127.6 in Game 4 and 116.5 in Game 5. The Spurs also scored 119.5 points per 100 possessions in their Game 1 win and 110.1 points per possession in their Game 2 loss.

Kawhi Leonard has shot 7 for 26 in his first three games and started 2-for-8 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. 

Leonard ended up 5 for 13 with 14 points and 14 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, but missed two shots on the Spurs’ final possession that could have given them the game. Leonard said his right eye remains blurry after a preseason bout with conjunctivitis, which doctors have told him will simply correct itself and that there is nothing they can do.

“My right eye, the vision’s not all the way back yet,” Leonard said. “Hopefully I can heal up soon. I’ve just got to keep competing so I can get used to it and get my rhythm going.”

Leonard admitted he could deal with the issue for a while, even late into the season.

“I have to," Leonard said when asked if he believed he could play through his eye condition. "That’s what I’m doing now. I can’t wait and sit on the sidelines anymore just wasting games. It might not ever clear up until summer, so I’m playing now.”