Star Victor Wembanyama has been a supporting player and then a scratch in the San Antonio Spurs’ first two games against the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
Will he even be able to play in the third meeting as Spurs host the Lakers on Wednesday as both teams return to the court for games on back-to-back nights?
The Spurs and Lakers split their first two contests this season, both in Los Angeles. Wembanyama fouled out after a 19-point performance in the Lakers’ 118-116 victory over San Antonio on Nov. 5. He sat out with a calf injury in the Spurs’ 132-119 victory in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup on Dec. 10.
Wembanyama returned on Tuesday from a two-game injury absence and scored 30 points in 21 minutes off the bench. But it was not enough to keep the Spurs from losing 106-105 in Memphis.
The loss stunned San Antonio, which led by as many as 11 points early in the third quarter and by four points after a jumper by De’Aaron Fox with 1:39 to play before running out of gas.
“We were probably in control for most of the game, and that that was misleading because our process of what we were trying to execute was not sharp” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “I thought that our body language and reactions and focus on the game plan execution and what needed to be done was not sharp. And you know, that’s frustrating.”
Julian Champagnie scored 23 points, Stephon Castle had 15 and Keldon Johnson added 13 in the setback.
Asked if Wembanyama would play on his sore left knee on Tuesday in the second of a back-to-back, Johnson was noncommittal.
“Far as I know, he came out (of Tuesday’s game) pretty good,” Johnson said about Wembanyama. “it’s tough on that kid. He’s got a lot of yo-yo and back and forth, and we’re trying to support him the best we can.”
The Lakers head to San Antonio after a 111-103 win in New Orleans on Tuesday.
Luka Doncic collected 30 points and 10 assists and LeBron James added 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Los Angeles had to fend off an upset bit from the hapless Pelicans to capture its third straight win and fourth in its past five outings.
Deandre Ayton racked up 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Los Angeles, with Marcus Smart hitting for 13 points.
The Lakers got it done without starters Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves (both out with calf injuries). While the contributions from Doncic and James are all but expected, Los Angeles has been able to win games recently with huge help from the supporting cast.
“Honestly, just getting on the boards,” Ayton said about his performance on Tuesday. “My playmakers were telling me to just always have these deep seals and just be strong with the ball. They trust me to be in positions where I can score and be effective. And that’s what kept me going. It kept me active.”
