It appears San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama will be back in the line-up sooner rather than later. In missing Saturday night’s game at the Dallas Mavericks with an injury the Spurs listed as a right knee contusion, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson says Wemby’s status is “day to day.”
Johnson, who’s leading the team while Gregg Popovich is out indefinitely as he recovers from a mild stroke, shook his head when asked if he or the team was “super concerned” with Wembanyama’s knee.
“See how it goes,” Johnson concluded in discussing when his French phenom may return.
The details of Victor Wembanyama’s injury
Following Friday’s 120-115 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the top overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft admitted his knee was not one hundred percent.
“A little beat up right now,” Wemby answered when asked how that right knee felt. “I took a big hit. But it’s just a hit.”
The reigning Rookie of the Year later offered clarification in admitting he banged knees with Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis during the game.
“I didn’t twist nothing, so I’m good.”
Wemby’s last game and the Spurs without him
Wembanyama led the Spurs with 28 points in the setback to a Lakers team that’s won five consecutive games. Behind only Davis’ 40-point output in the contest, the Spurs center was the only other player with more than 22 points. LeBron James scored 18 in recording a fourth consecutive quadruple-double for the first time in his legendary career.
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Including 14 rebounds and 5 assists, Wemby enjoyed another great night, even if he cooled down from three-point range. While he shot 12-for-25 from the field, his 4-for-13 effort from beyond the arc came after he’d gone 6-for-9, 6-for-12, and 8-for-16 from downtown in his previous three games. Despite those 25 shot attempts and a team-high 34 minutes of action, the 7-foot-5 generational talent didn’t attempt a single free throw.
The next night vs. the Mavericks, San Antonio fell 110-93 without Wembanyama. In his first absence of the season, his replacement, Zach Collins, led the squad with 20 points. Though they led by five after one, the home team then took control in the second quarter before blowing it open in the third. Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 22. Luka Doncic added 16. It marked a second Spurs loss to their rivals from up I-35, both in Dallas. The Mavs won an opening night night match-up, 120-109.
The Spurs hope Wemby will be back on the court when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
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