SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was expected to play against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night after being downgraded to questionable as he returns to full strength from a calf strain.
“I feel good about it, but I haven’t seen him since his pregame,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said about 1 1/2 hours before tipoff. “I feel strongly about it. I’m not trying to be vague. I feel strongly about it, but we want to be mindful also of the NBA (Injury) Report and all the things we have to do to be aboveboard there and make sure he’s in a good place.”
San Antonio enters the matchup against Oklahoma City on a six-game winning streak, including a 111-109 victory over the Thunder on Dec. 11 in the NBA Cup semifinals.
Wembanyama has played in five straight games, including the NBA Cup Final on Dec. 16, since missing 12 straight games with a left calf strain. San Antonio’s 124-113 loss to the New York Knicks for the NBA Cup title does not count in the standings or statistics.
Wembanyama was downgraded to questionable on Monday by the Spurs as a precaution.
“Every day there is a question of preventative because he’s not too far removed from an injury,” Johnson said. “We have to be so mindful of that kid’s future and bigger picture. And, we’ve had a lot of travel. He’s had life going on and we’re just trying to make sure that we have his best interest at heart regardless of winning streak and excitement and whatever else we are feeling at the time.”
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