The San Antonio Spurs have been rivals with the Los Angeles Lakers for decades, and Wednesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal is another edition in their storied history.
Luka Doncic and LeBron James are expected to be ready and good to go for the game in Los Angeles, but the Spurs received disappointing news on their end for what could have been a showdown of superstars.
French defensive titan Victor Wembanyama is officially out for the quarterfinal matchup, his left calf strain that has sidelined him for almost a month not fully healed.
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While there were positive signs that the Spurs ace would be progressing toward a comeback to face Doncic, James, and the rest of the Lakers, San Antonio is playing it cautious with the current and future face of its franchise.
At a time across sports where calf strains have led to players tearing Achilles tendons, most notably Boston's Jayson Tatum and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton in last year's NBA playoffs, the Spurs won't risk it. Wembanyama has already missed the last quarter of the 2024-25 season due to a shoulder blood clot.
With a 16-7 record, the Spurs are currently fifth in the tight race of the Western Conference. If they defeat the Lakers tonight, they will travel to Las Vegas to play the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns in the semifinals on Saturday.
Newsweek