SAN ANTONIO — Spurs star middle Victor Wembanyama limped off the court docket within the fourth quarter of Wednesday night time’s 134-132 win over the New York Knicks after his left knee buckled as he tried to safe a rebound beneath the basket.
Wembanyama stated afterward that he suffered a hyperextension and that preliminary checks didn’t reveal every other points. He stated he would have extra testing executed Thursday.
“I used to be assured. I used to be this near coming again within the sport,” Wembanyama stated. “[They] needed to maintain me again. It was only a hyperextension, so it must be minimal. We have to do every part tomorrow nonetheless to verify that every part’s OK.”
Wembanyama added, “I count on to be again the following sport.”
Wembanyama was injured with 10:32 left within the sport with the Spurs trailing 106-92 as he battled beneath the basket with Karl-Anthony Cities 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 beneath his personal energy.
Wembanyama appeared to inform Citadel “I am advantageous” 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 returned to the bench with 1:22 left to play sporting crew warmups, however he didn’t verify again into the sport.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated that Wembanyama ending the sport on the bench gave him hope that the damage was not severe.
“Haven’t been capable of discuss to the medical workers but, however I feel I noticed what everyone else noticed,” Johnson stated. “Clearly, he completed the sport on the bench along with his teammates. So, I feel that made me really feel good.”
Wembanyama completed with 31 factors and 13 rebounds in 24 minutes on the ground.
A 3rd-year veteran, Wembanyama beforehand sat out 12 video games earlier within the season due to a left calf pressure. He returned to the lineup on Dec. 13 in the course of 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 damage 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.
