Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol is doubtful to play in tonight's preseason opener against the Orlando Magic, according to Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal.

The Spanish international suffered a high left ankle sprain playing for his national team in this year's EuroBasket, and is still nursing the injury, as he noted in the royalest of ways.

“We’re still recovering the ankle. We want to be back at 100 percent,” Gasol said. “We don’t want any setbacks. It’s hard to put a percentage on it, but we’re improving. We’re happy with progression.”

“We’re still doing all of the little things we’re supposed to do in order to get back. We don’t want to go back at 75 percent or 80 percent. We want (the ankle) to be at 100… High ankle sprains are a little bit more painful and more weird to play through.”

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Gasol will ramp up activity in the coming days, expected to carry an even bigger load with the departures of Zach Randolph and Vince Carter this offseason.

Head coach David Fizdale is confident his star center will suit up for the regular season opener on Oct. 18.

“No doubt about that,” Fizdale said. “He’ll be ready. He really is already but he had a long summer of play. I’d rather that we preserve him so that he’s feeling great by the regular season.