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 response to 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 brought on 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 courtroom 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 night time 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 workers but, however I noticed what everyone else noticed,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated postgame. “There is a visible there, however clearly he completed the sport on the bench along with his teammates, in order that made me really feel good. I do not know what to say, nevertheless it was good to see him stroll again out and have the ability to end the sport on the bench along with his teammates.”
Wembanyama stated he expects to be again for the Spurs’ subsequent sport, a Friday street contest versus the Indiana Pacers.
“Feeling good, simply sore,” Wembanyama stated. “I used to be ‘this’ near coming again within the sport. They needed to maintain me again.”
The Spurs trailed the Knicks, 102-96, when Wembanyama left the sport however rallied to get rid of 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 sport over the primary 20 video games of the yr and is on tempo to common a double-double for the third consecutive season to open his profession. He has turn into an much more potent offensive weapon this season with a career-high 51.4% capturing clip.
Wembanyama’s harm is paying homage to the one Nikola Jokić sustained on Monday. The Denver Nuggets famous person was identified with a hyperextended knee — which is able to sideline him for no less than 4 weeks — after he additionally had his leg bend awkwardly in the midst of sport motion.
The Spurs already spent a month this season with out Wembanyama as a consequence of a separate harm. The third-year star sustained a calf pressure towards the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 14 and didn’t return till Dec. 13 towards 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 for the reason that calf harm.
