Originally the eighth overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Rudy Gay has had a solid career, averaging 18.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 801 games. However, at this stage of his career, the 31-year-old is pursuing team success in the playoffs.

Coming off a ruptured Achilles injury, Gay signed a two-year, $17 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs prior to the 2017-18 NBA season. As he has missed 25 games dealing with a heel injury, the Spurs forward revealed he is just playing at 75 percent according to Tom Orsborn of My San Antonio:

Even with that slam, Gay said he is playing at just 75 percent of his capacity after his two foot injuries.

“There have been a lot of ups and down this season for me personally and also for our team,” he said. “But making the playoffs will make it worth it. I can sit at home whenever the season is over and feel like we made it to that spot and we gave it our all.”

For Gay, he is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season when he was with the Memphis Grizzlies. In seven games against the Los Angeles Clippers, the then 25-year-old averaged 19.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in his lone playoffs appearance.

For the Spurs, they were hoping to play Gay alongside Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge in a potential small-ball lineup. Unfortunately, Gay has missed significant time as Leonard has only appeared in nine games and there is uncertainty if he will even play at this point of the season.

Winners of their last six straight games, the Spurs are currently the fifth seed in the highly competitive Western Conference playoffs. If both Gay and Leonard can somehow get relatively healthy in the next month, San Antonio becomes a team no one wants to play in the first round.