Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did not expect to be having this conversation so soon.

When Tony Parker went out with a torn quadriceps tendon in last season’s playoff series against Houston, Popovich assumed he would be without his starting point guard for the rest of the calendar year.

“I think he’s going to be ahead of schedule,” Popovich said. “I kept thinking he might be ready in January or something. He might be ready in December. He’s come along really well.”

In that, Popovich put clarity to the timeline for Parker’s return.

The 35-year-old has said he is targeting a November return. Popovich, however, doesn’t want Parker to get too far ahead of schedule.

Parker has been cleared to do weight work, running and shooting. He has not participated in contact drills.

Popovich said it could be “another month or so” before Parker is allowed to take contact.

“It will take some time because, when I come back, I want to come back like I was playing in the playoffs,” Parker said. “Not come back and miss three games, play one game, then miss three games.”

Popovich praised Parker’s determination to get to the point where a December return is in the realm of possibility.

“He worked really hard over the summer,” Popovich said. “He’s never worked this hard in the weight room since he’s been here. We’ve always pushed him to some degree, but this year he’s just been a monster in there.”

Point guard watch: With Parker sidelined, second-year pro Dejounte Murray drew the start at point guard in the Spurs’ preseason opener at Sacramento on Monday.

Murray, 21, had nine points on 3-of-7 shooting, an assist and two steals in 18 minutes of the Spurs’ 106-100 defeat.

Patty Mills served as the primary backup, had 11 points and three assists in 16 minutes.

Aldridge impresses: In a development heartening for Spurs fans, LaMarcus Aldridge opened his preseason with a strong outing, going for 17 points in 15 minutes.

He made 7 of his 10 shots, doing damage from all over the floor.

Spurs teammates say they have noticed a more confident Aldridge heading into the preseason.

“He’s being really aggressive and assertive, establishing himself really early,” center Pau Gasol said. “He’s in a great place right now, mentally and physically, and you can tell.”

More like it: A computer glitch with the new stat-keeping system at Golden 1 Center briefly left Gasol with an eye-popping box score.

Originally, the box had Gasol logging 41 minutes Monday, a heavy workload for any player, much less a 37-year-old coming off a summer of international play.

“It was a tough night,” Gasol said, playing along with the joke.

By Tuesday, the NBA had corrected to show Gasol had clocked a more reasonable 17 minutes.

jmcdonald@express-news.net

Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN