After clinching a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, the San Antonio Spurs could have Victor Wembanyama back for the next round.
Shams Charania of ESPN reported Friday that Wembanyama is “likely” to return for the matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. The Spurs officially listed Wembanyama as questionable for the matchup:
Previously, head coach Mitch Johnson told reporters following the victory on Tuesday that Wembanyama was “very much” in play to be on the court against the Thunder.
“Very much so. He had a very good day today. He had a good intent day this morning and we’ll have to see how he responds and reacts tomorrow,” Johnson said.
Wembanyama hasn’t played since Nov. 14 due to a left calf strain. His timeline for recovery was estimated to be at least two to four weeks.
A return on Saturday would mark just over four weeks from when the injury originally occurred.
Johnson said on Wednesday that Wembanyama was able to go through a pregame workout without any restrictions on his calf.
It’s a testament to how much talent the Spurs have added to their roster around Wembanyama that they have more than held their own without the 21-year-old phenom.
San Antonio has won nine of 12 games with Wembanyama out of the lineup, including victories over the Lakers and Denver Nuggets.
Looking ahead to the NBA Cup semifinals, the Spurs are likely going to need Wembanyama if they want to be competitive against Oklahoma City. The defending NBA champs clinched their spot in the semifinal with a 42 point win over the Phoenix Suns.
The Thunder’s 24-1 record is tied with the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for the best 25-game start in NBA history. Their 17.2 net rating is nearly four points better than any other team in league history (13.4 by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls).
Saturday’s matchup will mark the first meeting between these two teams this season. Wembanyama only played in one of the three head-to-head games with the Thunder last season, a 110-104 win by San Antonio on Oct. 30, 2024.
The Spurs-Thunder game will be played at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The winner will take on the winner of the Eastern Conference semifinal between the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic.
