The San Antonio Spurs finished the regular season undefeated against the Philadelphia 76ers, but losing Victor Wembanyama to injury could have lasting effects, depending on the severity of his bruised rib.
The San Antonio Spurs beat the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, 115-102, kicking off their final home stand of the season with a win, but it was bittersweet, at best.
Led by Stephon Castle's fifth career triple-double, the Spurs as a team shot a solid 49 percent from the floor. Off the bench, Keldon Johnson, Dylan Harper, and Luke Kornet all scored in double figures. The Spurs were up by six at the half, and a 9-0 run in the third quarter put the game just out of grasp for Philadelphia, giving the Spurs a decisive 2-0 season series lead.
In the Spurs' first matchup of the season against the 76ers, both Paul George and Joel Embiid failed to suit up. In this game, both teams entered the contest healthy, and George would finish with 16 points, and Embiid with 34. Rookie VJ Edgecombe, picked one spot after Harper in the draft, offered 14 of his own.
While fans celebrated the Spurs' 60th win of the season at the Frost Bank Center, the overall tone of the game was a bit more somber, as the Spurs ruled Victor Wembanyama out with a rib injury at halftime.
Spurs Withstand 76ers, Lose Wemby
In just 16 minutes, Wembanyama scored 17 points, added five rebounds, and blocked three shots. He looked elite in the first quarter, but spent much of the second frame clutching his shoulder, leg, and abdomen.
With 44 seconds left in the first half, Wembanyama headed to the locker room. He did not return, and the official designation was a "bruised left rib."
"Bruised" makes it sound not that serious, and with a day off on Tuesday, Wembanyama should be back in the lineup for Wednesday's showdown against the Portland Trail Blazers. After that game, Wemby and the Spurs will host the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets, closing out their season.
A bruised rib doesn't mean Wembanyama will miss the playoffs. It doesn't even mean for certain that he will miss a single game, so his MVP case is still alive. However, as the Spurs pursue team success, it's easy to see them being conservative with their superstar, especially against three of the more physical teams in the league remaining on their schedule.
As the final buzzer sounded on the Spurs' victory, all that has been officially announced is that Wemby has a bruised rib. For more updates, hit the "join" button on SpursRoundtable so you don't miss a thing.
