![\"Victor](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2266947932_a0926b-e1774619835744.jpg\")
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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MARCH 19: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is surrounded by teammates after he scored the game-winning basket against the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center on March 19, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. <\/p>\n
The San Antonio Spurs<\/a> are facing a critical late-season decision involving Victor Wembanyama<\/a>, with both his health and postseason award eligibility hanging in the balance.<\/p>\n According to ClutchPoint\u2019s Brett Siegel<\/a>, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama will be a game-time decision for Friday\u2019s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks<\/a> after participating in shootaround earlier in the day.<\/p>\n The update comes at a pivotal moment for the Spurs star, who is just one game shy of meeting the NBA\u2019s 65-game minimum requirement for major awards, including Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n Wembanyama\u2019s Availability Carries Major Implications<\/p>\n Under current league rules, players must appear in at least 65 games \u2014 with a minimum of 20 minutes played in each \u2014 to qualify for end-of-season awards.<\/p>\n Wembanyama has appeared in 64 games this season, meaning he must log at least one more game of 20 minutes in either Friday\u2019s contest against Dallas or Sunday\u2019s regular-season finale against the Denver Nuggets<\/a> to remain eligible.<\/p>\n The decision presents a delicate balance for the Spurs, who must weigh short-term risk against long-term stakes.<\/p>\n Injury Status Adds Uncertainty GettySAN ANTONIO, TX \u2013 APRIL 6: Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs grabs his left arm after an injury during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> in the first half at Frost Bank Center on April 6, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. Wembanyama stayed in the first half but did not return to play in the second half.<\/p>\n Wembanyama is currently listed as questionable with a left rib contusion.<\/p>\n He sustained the injury during Monday\u2019s 115-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers after colliding with Paul George<\/a> in transition.<\/p>\n Wembanyama briefly returned to the game but exited again before halftime and did not play in the second half.<\/p>\n He finished with 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks in just 15 minutes before being ruled out.<\/p>\n Dominant Season Strengthens Award Case<\/p>\n Despite the injury setback, Wembanyama has put together one of the most dominant two-way seasons in the NBA<\/a>.<\/p>\n He is averaging 24.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game, anchoring the Spurs on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n The 7-foot-4 phenom is widely considered the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year and remains in the broader MVP conversation.<\/p>\n Failing to meet the 65-game threshold would automatically disqualify him from both races, regardless of performance.<\/p>\n Spurs Positioned for Playoff Run<\/p>\n The Spurs have already secured a top-two seed in the Western Conference and are guaranteed to avoid the play-in tournament.<\/p>\n San Antonio will have approximately a week off before the first round of the playoffs, giving Wembanyama additional time to recover if the team opts for a cautious approach.<\/p>\n That positioning gives the organization some flexibility as it evaluates his availability over the final two games.<\/p>\n Decision Looms Before Postseason<\/p>\n With the postseason approaching, the Spurs are prioritizing health while also recognizing the significance of Wembanyama\u2019s individual achievements.<\/p>\n Whether he plays Friday or waits until Sunday, the decision will carry implications beyond a single game.<\/p>\n For Wembanyama, it is the final hurdle in securing eligibility for awards that reflect one of the most impactful seasons in the league.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAlder Almo<\/a> is a veteran NBA reporter for Heavy.com, covering the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. He brings over 20 years of experience across local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Originally from the Philippines, he is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Spurs\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MARCH 19: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is surrounded by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":682390,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3793],"tags":[7,686,149,4057,166,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-707739","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dallas-mavericks","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-dallas","10":"tag-dallas-mavericks","11":"tag-dallasmavericks","12":"tag-mavericks","13":"tag-nba"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116382964354123878","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=707739"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707739\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/682390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=707739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=707739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=707739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Victor](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775862957_125_GettyImages-2269593526_9e158a-e1775672229272.jpg\")
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