Victor Wembanyama had a mediocre start to the season and fans were worried if the curse of the dreaded sophomore slump had come to claim another victim. However, he dispelled any suspicions of a falloff after erupting for 50 points in 26 minutes against the Washington Wizards.
At 6-8, the Spurs aren’t exactly playoff contenders, but they’re much better than they were around this time last season. Wemby’s development is the major contributing factor to their improvement.
Unfortunately for San Antonio fans, Wembanyama’s status leading up to the game against Oklahoma is disappointing. The 7ft 3″ youngster is marked doubtful in the official injury report and is expected to miss his second game in a row.
He is dealing with a contusion to his right knee. He was hurt during the Lakers game after a collision with forward Anthony Davis. The Spurs downgraded his status at the last minute, meaning they are likely not to rush Wembanyama back from this knee injury.
Since they are facing an OKC side without any established centers because both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are dealing with injuries, it looks like they trust backup centers Zach Collins and Sandro Mamukelashvili to hold the fort down. The duo performed admirably last time out, combining for 34 points in their loss to the Mavericks.
San Antonio Spurs Injury Report (Nov 19th)
The Spurs have a mostly healthy squad compared to their opponents, and only Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan are the significant absentees for them.
| Spurs Injury Report (Nov 19th, 2024) | ||
| David Duke Jr. | OUT | G-League – Two Way |
| Harrison Ingram | OUT | G-League – Two Way |
| Riley Minix | OUT | G-League – Two Way |
| Jeremy Sochan | OUT | Injury/Illness – Left Thumb; Proximal Phalanx Surgery |
| Victor Wembanyama | Doubtful | Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Contusion |
At 11-3, OKC has the clear upper hand in this matchup, and even despite their long list of injuries, they will likely come away victors. Even with Chris Paul’s addition, Wembanyama’s absence is too big a hole for Spurs to overcome Shai-Gilgeous Alexander led Thunder.