Spurs rule out Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle for Trail Blazers tie
The San Antonio Spurs have ruled out star centre Victor Wembanyama and rookie Stephon Castle for Wednesday’s NBA fixture against the Portland Trail Blazers due to injury.
Wembanyama sustained a left rib contusion during the first half of Monday’s 115-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Meanwhile, Castle is sidelined with right knee soreness following a spectacular performance in the same match.
Award eligibility implications
The French sensation played exactly 15 minutes and 40 seconds against Philadelphia before his premature exit.
Under NBA guidelines, this abbreviated appearance counts as one of two permitted exceptions allowing between 15 and 20 minutes on court.
The towering 21-year-old must feature in a league-mandated minimum of 65 regular-season games to qualify for prestigious end-of-season honours.
He now requires just one more appearance of at least 20 minutes to officially lock in his eligibility for the Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Castle sidelined after breakout performance
The loss of Castle deals a significant blow to the Texas franchise as they prepare to face Portland.
The dynamic young guard recorded a phenomenal triple-double against the Sixers, registering 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds.
San Antonio will now have to navigate this Western Conference encounter without two of their foundational young talents.