The San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of an injury-necessitated late-season tank.
All-Star Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has been on the shelf for months due to a scary deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder (i.e. a blood clot) since February 20.
pic.twitter.com/rTlFYch2Rr
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 20, 2025
The 7-foot-3 superstar big man finished his season with 24.3 points on .476/.352/.836 shooting splits, 11.0 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals a night in 46 games. Had he suited up for at least 65 contests, regardless of his Spurs' season outcome, the All-Defensive First Teamer likely would have earned his first All-NBA nod.
Wembanyama isn't the only great San Antonio player who has been ruled out for the season.
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His fellow recent All-Star, new trade acquisition De'Aaron Fox, has also been shut down for the rest of the year. San Antonio opted to have Fox undergo surgery on his pinkie finger two weeks ago, in an effort to address tendon damage in the digit.
San Antonio Spurs star De'Aaron Fox will undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday for tendon damage in his left pinkie, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/W20JJB7ZdZ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 13, 2025
Fox had been playing through the injury since training camp, when he was still with the ill-fated Sacramento Kings. The 6-foot-3 Kentucky product finishes his first Spurs season having played just 19 games for San Antonio since his midseason trade. He averaged 19.7 points on .446/.274/.819 shooting splits, 6.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals a night.
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Without Wembanyama or Fox available, the Spurs are now 31-41 on the season and fading fast in the Western Conference, as they angle for yet another top lottery pick in this summer's 2025 NBA Draft.
On Saturday, the ascendant reigning champion Boston Celtics (currently 54-19 on the year) head to San Antonio, and are looking to make quick work of a team hoping to lose.
But Boston may be without its iron man former All-Star center.
As Noa Dalzell of CLNS reports, former five-time All-Star big man Al Horford was listed as questionable with a left big toe sprain on Friday.
Celtics Injury Report Update vs. San Antonio (3/29):
Al Horford - Left Big Toe Sprain - QUESTIONABLE
Payton Pritchard - Left Hip Flexor Tightness - QUESTIONABLE
Xavier Tillman - Left Knee Joint Sprain - QUESTIONABLE https://t.co/rEqKTwzxEp
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 29, 2025
Horford's fellow key bench contributor Payton Pritchard was questionable with left hip flexor tightness, while non-rotation backup big Xavier Tillman was also questionable with a left knee joint sprain.
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This year, the 38-year-old is averaging 8.6 points on a .418/.356/.889 slash line, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per bout. He has been healthy for 56 contests, and is a critical two-way contributor to the club's title defense.
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