San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama left Wednesday’s 134-132 win over the New York Knicks with a slight hyperextension in his left knee. Preliminary checks got here again detrimental and dominated out a serious harm, in line with ESPN.
Webanyama jumped for a rebound and landed awkwardly with 10:32 left within the fourth quarter. His left foot moved ahead as he approached the bottom, which precipitated his knee to bend inward. He fell to the ground and grabbed his knee in ache, and after he returned to his ft, he limped off the court docket and into the locker room for examination.
Whereas he returned to the bench after a brief keep within the locker room, the Spurs decided Wembanyama’s evening over after 24 minutes of motion. He scored 31 factors and racked up 13 rebounds earlier than his untimely exit.
“Haven’t been capable of discuss to the medical employees but, however I noticed what all people else noticed,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson mentioned postgame. “There is a visible there, however clearly he completed the sport on the bench together with his teammates, in order that made me really feel good. I do not know what to say, however it was good to see him stroll again out and be capable to end the sport on the bench together with his teammates.”
Wembanyama mentioned he expects to be again for the Spurs’ subsequent recreation, a Friday street contest versus the Indiana Pacers.
“Feeling good, simply sore,” Wembanyama mentioned. “I used to be ‘this’ near coming again within the recreation. They needed to maintain me again.”
The Spurs trailed the Knicks, 102-96, when Wembanyama left the sport however rallied to remove the deficit as a part of a 71-point second half. Each groups entered the day in second place of their respective conferences, and the competition was a vital one as they continue to be locked in chases with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Detroit Pistons for the highest spots.
Wembanyama, a reigning All-Star and former Rookie of the 12 months, has been instrumental within the Spurs’ rise towards the highest of the Western Convention this season. He averaged 24 factors per recreation over the primary 20 video games of the 12 months and is on tempo to common a double-double for the third consecutive season to open his profession. He has develop into an much more potent offensive weapon this season with a career-high 51.4% taking pictures clip.
Wembanyama’s harm is paying homage to the one Nikola Jokić sustained on Monday. The Denver Nuggets celebrity was identified with a hyperextended knee — which is able to sideline him for at the least 4 weeks — after he additionally had his leg bend awkwardly in the midst of recreation motion.
The Spurs already spent a month this season with out Wembanyama as a result of a separate harm. The third-year star sustained a calf pressure in opposition to the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 14 and didn’t return till Dec. 13 in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. He eased again into the lineup, coming off the bench for six video games earlier than returning to the beginning 5 on Dec. 27. Wednesday’s contest was simply his third begin because the calf harm.
