NBA Christmas Day preview
From Thunder–Spurs to Wolves–Nuggets and Knicks–Cavs, which NBA Christmas Day matchup are you most looking forward to?
Victor Wembanyama’s return from injury has coincided with the San Antonio Spurs surging up the NBA’s Western Conference standings. They sit alone in second place entering back-to-back games against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder beginning Tuesday, Dec. 23 in Texas and concluding with a Christmas Day showcase in Oklahoma on Thursday.
These will be the second and third meetings between the Thunder and Spurs in less than two weeks after San Antonio beat OKC, 111-109, in an NBA Cup semifinal matchup on Dec. 13. That was Wembanyama’s first game back from a left calf strain that sidelined him for more than a month of action. San Antonio hasn’t lost with him in the lineup, part of a six-game winning streak.
The 7-foot-4 French star has been on a minutes restriction of late, but he remains an emerging force after starting his third NBA season in the early MVP conversation before his injury. But Wembanyama’s status for Tuesday‘s pre-Christmas game against the Thunder is up in the air after the release of the team’s initial injury report.
Here’s the latest injury update on Wembanyama ahead of the San Antonio Spurs‘ Dec. 23 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder:
Is Victor Wembanyama playing today?
Probably. Wembanyama has appeared in the Spurs’ past four games since initially returning from a left calf strain on Dec. 13. But the team listed him as questionable on the injury report ahead of San Antonio’s Dec. 23 matchup at home with the Oklahoma City Thunder in relation to injury management for his left calf.
His status was upgraded to “available,” though, on the 8 p.m. ET injury report. He was not in the Spurs’ starting lineup, which means he’ll come off the bench once again should the team play him.
Victor Wembanyama injury update
The Spurs announced Wembanyama suffered a left calf strain against the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 14 after the results of an MRI. He missed 12 games as a result and has played less than 22 minutes in all four games since his return to the lineup. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said recently the team’s cautious approach will continue for the foreseeable future.
“That’s going to be the plan until it’s not,” Johnson told reporters, according to FOX San Antonio. “The season’s long and grueling. … It’s a treacherous schedule, and so we have to continue to just take it day by day on how he’s feeling, how he’s reacting. And because of what he’s had recently, we are overly mindful of that and other guys in that same situation, but specifically because of his unique anatomy and situation,” explained Johnson.
Wembanyama was spotted by local reporters participating in the Spurs’ morning shootaround on Tuesday as usual, despite the new injury designation. He appeared in just 46 games last season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Victor Wembanyama stats
Wembanyama is off to a strong start in his third NBA season, averaging a career-high 24.4 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. He’s also averaging 3.3 blocks per game while shooting better than 50% from the floor for the first time in his NBA career.
(This story was updated to add a video and new information.)