Victor Wembanyama sidesteps significant injury; uncertain for matchup against Blazers
San Antonio Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama is currently listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a rib contusion; however, there is optimism that he will return to play during the regular season to fulfill the criteria for postseason accolades, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Wembanyama sustained the injury following a collision with 76ers forward Paul George during the second quarter of Monday’s victory over Philadelphia.
Following evaluations on Tuesday, it was confirmed that Wembanyama did not suffer a serious injury and is now regarded as day-to-day. His limited playtime of just 15 minutes and 40 seconds in Monday’s contest will not count towards his eligibility for postseason honors.
As a frontrunner for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a candidate for MVP, Wembanyama must participate for a minimum of 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s remaining three games to retain his eligibility for postseason awards.
After facing the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, the Spurs will host the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets at home on Friday and Sunday, respectively, to conclude the season.
San Antonio (60-19) still has a slim chance to overtake the Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16) for the top seed in the Western Conference, but would require OKC to lose at least three of its last four games to have an opportunity to advance.
ESPN’s Michael C. Wright contributed to this report.
