Wembanyama's Rib Injury and Castle's Knee Soreness Sideline Spurs for Portland Showdown

The San Antonio Spurs are heading into Wednesday night's matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers without two key players. Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle have both been ruled out, the team announced, leaving the Spurs short-handed against Portland.

Wembanyama Dealing with Rib Contusion

Wembanyama picked up a left rib contusion during the first half of Monday's 115-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite the injury limiting his availability, he still managed 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks in just 15 minutes and 40 seconds of action against the Sixers.

That abbreviated game time actually matters for the bigger picture. Under NBA guidelines, two exceptions are allowed for games between 15 to 19 minutes and 59 seconds to count toward the league-required minimum of 65 games played for award eligibility. Wembanyama, an MVP, defensive player of the year, and All-NBA hopeful, still needs one more game with at least 20 minutes of play to qualify for those individual awards.

Castle Sidelined by Right Knee Soreness

Castle was listed as doubtful heading into Wednesday with right knee soreness that surfaced after Monday's victory over Philadelphia. The guard had a monster game against the Sixers, dropping 17 points while dishing out 13 assists and grabbing 10 rebounds before the injury knocked him out.

With both players unavailable, the Spurs will need to lean on their depth to handle Portland on the road Wednesday night.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.