The San Antonio Spurs are visiting the Denver Nuggets at the Ball Arena tonight for crucial NBA Cup action. The contest carries high stakesâthe winner will clinch the groupâbut the biggest hurdle for the Spurs is that they will be without franchise star Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama has been ruled out for this matchup as he continues to recover from a left calf muscle injury that he suffered following a defeat to the Golden State Warriors on Monday, November 17th.
The initial prognosis expected the French star to miss around two to three weeks, with a re-evaluation scheduled for early December, suggesting his return to the court is drawing near.
The loss of the 21-year-old superstar is a major blow for the Spurs, as Wembanyama is having an incredible season so far. He currently leads his team in scoring (averaging 26.2 points per game) and leads the entire NBA in both rebounding (12.9 per game) and blocks (3.6 per contest).
Victor Wembanyama dribbles against Bronny James. (Getty Images)
In his absence, Luke Kornet has stepped into the starting center role, though his numbers (8.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game) are nowhere near the production of the French phenom.
Spurs and Nuggets injury reports
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NBA Hall of Famer delivers bold warning to Spurs regarding Wembanyama
Wembanyama is not the only player sidelined for San Antonio tonight. They will also be without guard Stephon Castle (left hip flexor strain) and reserve guard Jordan McLaughlin (left hamstring strain).
However, the Nuggets also arrive at this contest dealing with significant injury concerns. They will be without two starters: Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) and Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain) remain out while recovering from their injuries. Julian Strawther (lower back injury management) is also unavailable for tonightâs game.
