The San Antonio Spurs are playing the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, April 8, at 8:30 pm CST on ESPN in a game that, based on the latest Victor Wembanyama injury update, will not feature the NBA superstar.
Wembanyama suffered a rib injury in the Spurs’ previous game against the Philadelphia 76ers, and while it isn’t considered a serious issue, the French center has been ruled out for the game.
Before San Antonio’s tipoff against Portland, the team announced its starting lineup and final injury report for Wednesday.
San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineup Vs. Trail Blazers
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 01: De’aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
In the lead-up to the Wednesday night game, the Spurs took to social media to announce their starting lineup against the Trail Blazers.
De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell, and Luke Kornet all got the nod as starters by Mitch Johnson and the team’s coaching staff.
Along with not having Wembanyama, San Antonio is without another key contributor for the game, so this is the lineup they’ll have to go with against Portland.
Harper hasn’t been a typical starter for the team in his rookie year, but with the injuries, he’s seeing an elevated role for this game.
This is not a starting group the Spurs have used this season, but as their fate as the second seed in the Western Conference is all but confirmed, staying healthy and ramping up for the playoffs is all that matters for the top-ranked team in Texas.
Victor Wembanyama Injury Update And End-Of-Season Awards Status
GettySAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 6: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs grabs his left arm after an injury during game against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half at Frost Bank Center on April 6, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Wembanyama stayed in the first half but did not return to play in the second half.
Wembanyama is sitting out on Wednesday for the ESPN game due to the rib injury he suffered on Monday.
While there were initial concerns about the injury being a serious concern, recent updates have somewhat quieted any speculation that the superstar is set to be sidelined for an extended period.
While he’s ruled out against the Trail Blazers, Wembanyama needs to play in at least one more of the Spurs’ final two games of the regular season to qualify for end-of-season awards. He has been a top MVP candidate and is a shoo-in for the Defensive Player of the Year and the All-NBA first-team if he does hit the 65-game mark.
In good news for the Spurs, however, is that Wembanyama is expected to play in at least one of the team’s two last games of the year, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
“There’s confidence that Victor Wembanyama will be able to play at least one of these final two games as soon as Friday,” Charania said on NBA Countdown. “Right now, he is day to day… he needs to play at least 20 minutes in one more game, and the Spurs are very confident that he’ll be able to do so.”
Along with him, Stephon Castle has been ruled out for Wednesday against the Blazers. The second-year guard quickly on the rise is dealing with right knee soreness, and is being rested for the game.
The Spurs are currently second in the West with a 60-19 record, likely to be the second seed in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The only way they could clinch the top seed is if they win out and the Oklahoma City Thunder lose the final three games of their season, which remains an unlikely scenario.
The San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers game tips off at 8:30 pm CST on ESPN.
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