The San Antonio Spurs and their fans can breathe a little easier. After a scary moment during Monday night’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers, early signs point to good news for star center Victor Wembanyama.
Initial tests have come back encouraging, and the Spurs are staying hopeful heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
“I’m told the Spurs are not anticipating this to be a major injury. He underwent x-rays last night on that rib and x-rays for Victor Wameniyama returned negative, I’m told, and so he will be undergoing more testing later today, but there is hope and optimism that those tests will confirm what they felt last night was that the anticipation is nothing major,” as per Shams Charania of ESPN.Â
How the Injury Happened
The injury occurred in the first half against the 76ers. Paul George accidentally caught Wembanyama with an elbow to the left ribs while trying to deflect a pass. Wembanyama went down immediately and left the court holding his side. He briefly returned but asked to come out before halftime and was ruled out for the second half with a left rib contusion.
Despite the scare, the Spurs still won 115-102 to reach 60 wins on the season. With three regular-season games remaining, Wembanyama needs to play at least one to stay eligible for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
There Should Be No Rush on Wembanyama’s Return
Spursââââââââââââââââ should not rush Victor Wembanyama to play right away. San Antonio is guaranteed to be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, so the last three games of the regular season have very little significance as far as seeding is concerned.
What really matters is the playoffs, and one shouldn’t jeopardize their long-term health for any regular-season âgame.
Fortunately,ââââââââââââââââ San Antonio has so much depth that they can easily survive a game or two without Wembanyama. Besides Johnson and Barnes, the other players have also shown their ability to step up.
The 115-102 victory over Philadelphia, with Wembanyama sitting out in the second half, was a perfect example of what the Spurs are capable of. It is clear that the team can still function without him, so there is no need to rush his return.
The One-Game Rule and Playoff Eligibility
This is the most important factor in his return timeline. NBA rules state that a player must appear in 65 games to qualify for end-of-season awards. Wembanyama is a legitimate contender for both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year this season.
With three games still remaining on the schedule, the Spurs have a comfortable window to bring him back for at least one game, confirm his health, and protect his awards eligibility without taking any unnecessary risks.
More than anything, this update gives San Antonio breathing room. The Spurs can stay patient, protect their franchise star, and focus on the bigger goal of a deep playoff run. If Wembanyama returns only when fully ready, San Antonio will be in a far stronger position when the games matter.
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