Victor Wembanyama missed Thursday's game against the Denver Nuggets, but will he be back before the San Antonio Spurs play the Charlotte Hornets?
The San Antonio Spurs had a five-game winning streak snapped on Thursday, blowing a 20-point lead to lose to the Denver Nuggets.
Of course, an ankle injury kept Victor Wembanyama sidelined, so the Spurs were without their best player. Before the game, and up until tipoff, Wembanyama was listed as "questionable" and even was expected to play by some people within the organization, although the Spurs instead exercised caution.
The Spurs will play the last game of their homestand on Saturday, hosting the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets beat the Spurs in their earlier matchup and are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, so it would help if the Spurs were at full strength.
Spurs Provide Wemby Injury Update
When asked if fans can expect Wembanyama to suit up on Saturday, the Spurs did not provide a concrete answer either way.
"It was a close call because there was a chance he could play, but it was clear that it was the right decision in terms of there was nothing that we wanted to risk," explained Mitch Johnson after Wemby missed Thursday's game. "I don't think it'll be a long-term thing, so hopefully the rest will do him good."
So, what does Johnson predict?
"It's going to be a wait-and-see thing," he added. "But, yeah, I mean, he was pretty close tonight. So, again, hopefully the rest serves him well. But if not, then we'll go to the next game."
Wembanyama has missed 15 games this season, and the Spurs have gone an impressive 10-5 without their best player.
The Spurs have made it clear that keeping him healthy before the postseason is their top priority, but with only two games left to miss before he is ineligible for individual awards like Defensive Player of the Year, there is some pressure to rush him back and let him play.
For now, his return date remains up in the air, and the Spurs will travel to California for games against the LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings after hosting the Hornets, and have a challenging schedule remaining before their first playoff appearance in seven years.