SAN ANTONIO – Victor Wembanyama will not suit up for the spurs Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
Wemby is close to returning from that calf strain, but he’ll miss at least one more game. It will be the twelfth game in a row that he’s missed. He is traveling with the team and is ramping up workouts for a return.
The good news? The Spurs are 8-3 without him. Steph Castle made his return Monday night. The first time we’ve seen the three point guards play together, Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Monday night’s hero, rookie Dylan Harper.
Harper says once they figure out how to mesh together, watch out!
“I think there’s no ego between us three which is a big thing in this league. I think that we all just want to see each other succeed no matter what. This was just a little sample size and just a little bit of what you’re going to see. I think when he really gets back in the groove of things, that we’re going to be scary,” said Harper, who had a career high 22 points Monday night.
Wednesday night is the quarterfinal of the NBA Cup in LA against Luca, Lebron and the Lakers. A late tipoff at 9 o’clock.
THE MATCHUP
San Antonio Spurs (16-7, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (17-6, second in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Wednesday, 9 p.m. CST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE
Lakers -4.5; over/under is 234.5
BOTTOM LINE
The Los Angeles Lakers take on the San Antonio Spurs in an NBA Cup in-season tournament group play matchup.
The Lakers are 12-4 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is sixth in the Western Conference scoring 118.3 points while shooting 50.7% from the field.
The Spurs are 10-6 in Western Conference play. San Antonio averages 119.6 points while outscoring opponents by 4.3 points per game.
The Lakers make 50.7% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.6 percentage points higher than the Spurs have allowed to their opponents (47.1%). The Spurs average 13.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.9 fewer makes per game than the Lakers allow.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Lakers won the last matchup 118-116 on Nov. 6, with Luka Doncic scoring 35 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS
Doncic is scoring 35.0 points per game with 9.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 29.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 70.6% over the past 10 games.
Devin Vassell is averaging 15.7 points for the Spurs. Harrison Barnes is averaging 24.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES
Lakers: 8-2, averaging 121.2 points, 41.5 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 6.5 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.4 points per game.
Spurs: 7-3, averaging 120.6 points, 43.0 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 8.2 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.4 points.
INJURIES
Lakers: Marcus Smart: day to day (back).
Spurs: Jordan McLaughlin: day to day (hamstring), Victor Wembanyama: out (calf).