The San Antonio Spurs collected their second straight victory without injured center Victor Wembanyama, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies by 10 points on Tuesday. The club also played without reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, sidelined by a hip flexor strain.
De’Aaron Fox paced San Antonio with 26 points, but several role players made decisive contributions. Veteran forward Harrison Barnes added 23 points, while recently acquired big man Kelly Olynyk posted a +15 in 19 minutes. Off the bench, Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson combined for 26 points and 13 rebounds. Starting in Wembanyama’s place, Luke Kornet went scoreless yet anchored the defense in his second consecutive start.
“We want to play our brand of basketball and maintain our identity no matter who is in,” head coach Mitch Johnson said after pushing the Spurs to a 10-4 record. Fox echoed the urgency: “No one thought we’d be missing this many guys—or two of our top three scorers—but you’ve got to continue to get wins. That’s what good teams do.”
Spurs take cautious approach with Wembanyama
Wembanyama is out with a calf strain, an injury the Spurs intend to treat conservatively. Calf issues have become more common league-wide and, in some instances, preceded Achilles tears. “As we’ve seen around this league recently, the calf tightness thing is not something you want to take lightly,” Johnson said. “We don’t want to push it there.”
Off-season frontcourt additions pay off
San Antonio’s deeper frontcourt—bolstered by the summer additions of Kornet and Olynyk—has eased the loss of its 7’4″ rookie. Kornet, who considered retirement during a 2022 G League stint, credited a change in perspective for reviving his career: “It was just recommitting to, ‘How do I serve and where do I fit in?’ and letting that take you wherever you go.”
Limited time for Fox–Wembanyama pairing
Fox and Wembanyama logged only five games together last season and just four this fall, sandwiched between Fox’s hamstring strain and Wembanyama’s current injury. Even so, Johnson said the veteran guard has embraced a complementary role beside the rookie star. “It’s very clear we have the face of our franchise and (Fox) is comfortable with that,” the coach noted, pointing to Fox’s experience as Sacramento’s former franchise cornerstone.
The Spurs have not provided a timetable for Wembanyama’s return, but the club’s recent success suggests it will resist any temptation to rush him back.
Source: Hoops Rumors
