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With nan NBA playoffs group to statesman adjacent Saturday, nan San Antonio Spurs are looking to bring backmost their glory days of winning 5 titles from 1999 to 2014.
Victor Wembanyama has been nan superior logic for nan team's return to playoff basketball, starring nan NBA successful blocks per crippled for nan 3rd clip successful arsenic galore seasons while averaging 24.5 points and 11.5 rebounds, some profession highs.
However, nan 7-foot-4 phenom not only suffered a rib contusion connected Monday night, putting him astatine consequence for nan remainder of nan regular play and nan commencement of nan playoffs, but his MVP candidacy is besides astatine risk.
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Victor Wembanyama of nan San Antonio Spurs reacts to an wounded during nan first half of a crippled against nan Philadelphia 76ers astatine Frost Bank Center successful San Antonio, Texas, connected April 6, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
The NBA states that players must play 65 games successful bid to person votes for play awards specified arsenic MVP and All-NBA teams. However, Wembanyama has played successful 63.
That number does not see nan NBA Cup Final, which really does not count toward nan stat sheet, but nan NBA does count it toward nan season-award total, marking him conscionable a spot safer.
If Wembanyama wants to beryllium named MVP, nan NBA allows a maximum of 2 games successful which a subordinate logs betwixt 15 and 19.59 minutes to count toward nan league-required minimum of 65 games played for grant eligibility. Wembanyama had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks while playing 15:40 successful nan first half connected Monday.
Paul George of nan Philadelphia 76ers reaches retired to an injured Victor Wembanyama of nan San Antonio Spurs during nan first half astatine Frost Bank Center successful San Antonio, Texas, connected April 6, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
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Wembanyama took an inadvertent elbow to nan ribs from Paul George erstwhile nan Philadelphia 76ers guardant was attempting to deflect a walk arsenic nan 7-foot-4 Frenchman was sprinting up nan tribunal connected a accelerated break pinch 10:49 remaining successful nan first half. Wembanyama tumbled to nan tribunal and remained down for a infinitesimal while George patted him connected nan backside apologetically.
Wembanyama subbed retired of nan crippled soon aft nan collision and instantly went into nan passageway starring to nan locker room while keeping his limb pressed to his side.
He returned pinch 5:33 remaining successful nan period, but asked caput coach Mitch Johnson to return him retired pinch 44 seconds remaining successful nan first half. He again went into nan passageway starring to nan locker room while holding his limb to his broadside and was ruled retired astatine nan commencement of nan 2nd half.
San Antonio (60-19) is 2.5 games down nan reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16) and assured of finishing nary worse than 2nd successful nan conference.
San Antonio Spurs guardant Victor Wembanyama bring nan shot upcourt against nan Utah Jazz during nan first half of an NBA hoops game, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, successful Salt Lake City. (Rob Gray/AP)
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Each of nan Spurs' last 3 games are astatine home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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