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Michael C. Wright
SAN ANTONIO — Spurs star middle Victor Wembanyama limped off the courtroom within the fourth quarter of Wednesday evening’s 134-132 win over the New York Knicks after his left knee buckled as he tried to safe a rebound below the basket.
Wembanyama returned to the bench with 1:22 left to play carrying workforce warmups, however he didn’t test again into the sport.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson mentioned that Wembanyama ending the sport on the bench gave him hope that the harm was not critical.
“That made me really feel good,” Johnson mentioned.
Wembanyama was injured with 10:32 left within the sport with the Spurs trailing 106-92 as he battled below the basket with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson for a rebound. Wembanyama instantly grabbed at his left knee after the play. Teammate Stephon Citadel helped Wembanyama again to his ft, and the Frenchman hobbled to the locker room below his personal energy.
Wembanyama appeared to inform Citadel “I am effective” because the guard helped him up and appeared to ship the identical message to the sellout crowd of 18,062 as he hobbled off the ground and headed to the locker room.
Wembanyama completed with 31 factors with 13 rebounds in 24 minutes on the ground.
A 3rd-year veteran, Wembanyama beforehand sat out 12 video games earlier within the season attributable to a left calf pressure. He returned to the lineup on Dec. 13 through the semifinals of the NBA Cup in opposition to Oklahoma Metropolis and got here off the bench in his first six outings again from the harm earlier than making his first begin on Dec. 27 in a loss to the Utah Jazz.
Wembanyama entered the competition Wednesday averaging 24.0 factors, 11.7 rebounds and three.0 blocks.
