Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama is currently listed as day-to-day due to a right knee contusion, missing Saturday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.
According to interim coach Mitch Johnson, the towering 7-foot-3 center, who was the unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year last season, is being monitored closely for recovery.
After the Spurs’ recent home defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers, Wembanyama expressed that his leg felt “pretty beat up,” highlighting the physical toll of the season.
Leading the Spurs, Wembanyama averages an impressive 22.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He also tops the league with an average of 3.7 blocks, a slight increase from his 3.6 blocks per game last season.
In his last outing before the injury, he recorded 28 points and 14 rebounds in just 34 minutes of play, following a career-high 50-point performance against the Washington Wizards earlier in the week.
Johnson acknowledged that the absence of Wembanyama will significantly alter the team’s dynamics, stating, “a lot of minutes and a lot of shots” will be redistributed among other players.
“Guys need to step up,” Johnson emphasized, noting that the team must focus on ball movement and maintaining spacing without forcing individual plays, especially as he fills in for legendary coach Gregg Popovich, who is recovering from a mild stroke.
Zach Collins is set to take Wembanyama’s place in the starting lineup.
The Spurs are scheduled to face the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Tuesday, where they will look to adjust their strategy in light of Wembanyama’s injury.
