The San Antonio Spurs may be without one of their star players on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, as Victor Wembanyama is a game-time decision due to a rib contusion.
Wembanyama, who leads the team in points, rebounds and blocks, exited a 115-102 win early in the second quarter after a collision with Paul George. There was immediate concern that he had suffered something serious. The 22-year-old was escorted off the court and returned to the locker room, where he underwent a series of tests. Thankfully, all the news has been positive.
The team later announced before Wednesday’s game that Wembanyama had avoided a major injury and is currently listed as day-to-day.
The 7’4″ French phenom Victor Wembanyama has been having a fantastic year, leading the Spurs with 24.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game across 64 appearances, just one shy of the 65-game rule for NBA awards eligibility. On top of it all, he is the frontrunner to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year and is also a contender for MVP, which truly highlights his impact.
While Wembanyama is doubtful for Wednesday’s matchup, he needs to play at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s remaining three games to become eligible for those awards.
Life is good for the Spurs, who are currently holding down the second seed, headlined by their impressive 11-game winning streak, which was halted by the Denver Nuggets last weekend.
They are three games behind the leaders, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have a tough final three games to close out the season. The Spurs need Wembanyama healthy, and the fact that he could play at least 20 minutes to secure eligibility and then rest well for the postseason is a very positive sign.
Victor Wembanyama stats vs Portland Trail Blazers
Victor Wembanyama has a perfect 5-0 record against the Portland Trail Blazers. He averages 24.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in those matchups. However, he hasn’t suited up against them this season, missing both games due to injuries. The Spurs won the Nov. 26 matchup 115-102 behind De’Aaron Fox’s 32 points performance. They then lost the Jan. 3 matchup 1150110, where Luke Kornet led the way with 23 points.
If Wembanyama plays, the Spurs’s chances of winning are very high, but even without him they are still solid with an 11-5 record.
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