The San Antonio Spurs witnessed a scary incident in Monday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. In the second quarter, Victor Wembanyama collided with Paul George and immediately dropped to the floor, clutching his left shoulder.
A little later in the same quarter, things got worse. After finishing a tough and-one over Joel Embiid, Wembanyama bumped into his teammate Keldon Johnson and appeared to aggravate the injury. This time, he headed straight to the locker room and did not return, with the team confirming he was ruled out with a left rib contusion.
Naturally, Spurs fans were worried about how serious the injury might be. But there was some good news after the game as Stephon Castle shared a positive update on Wembanyama’s condition.
“Stephon Castle says Victor Wembanyama is looking good postgame,” a Spurs beat reporter wrote on X.
That update comes as a relief, especially with the playoffs approaching and the Spurs still aiming to compete for the title.
But it also matters for Wembanyama’s eligibility for end-of-season awards. He has played 64 games so far (this one counts as one of his two allowed near-miss exemptions under the 65-game rule). With three games left in the regular season, Wembanyama only needs to log at least 20 minutes in one of them to qualify. Apart from that, he can continue focusing on recovery without risking his eligibility.
San Antonio Spurs’ win in Victor Wembanyama’s partial absence
The San Antonio Spurs went into halftime with a seven-point lead against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. However, with Victor Wembanyama ruled out for the rest of the game due to injury and Philly at full strength, it felt like the momentum could easily swing the other way.
But that never really happened. The 76ers briefly grabbed the lead at 65-64 early in the third quarter, but that was their only moment on top. From there, the Spurs stayed in control and gradually pulled away, extending the lead into double digits late in the game.
Wembanyama had already made his presence felt before being ruled out, putting up 17 points and five rebounds in the first half. But it was Stephon Castle who truly took over and closed things out, delivering a huge performance with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists, helping the Spurs withstand Joel Embiid’s 34-point, 12-rebound performance to win 115-102.
Despite the impressive win, Wembanyama’s injury ended up being the main storyline. This eclipsed the fact that the victory also marked the Spurs’ 60th win of the season, their first time achieving this feat since the 2016-2017 campaign. With three games left, they now have a chance to match the 2005-2006 season for the second-best record in franchise history at 63 wins.
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