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With the NBA playoffs scheduled to begin next Saturday, the San Antonio Spurs are looking to recapture their glory days of winning five titles between 1999 and 2014.
Victor Wembanyama has been the main reason for the team’s return to playoff basketball, leading the NBA in blocks per game for the third time in as many seasons and averaging 24.5 points and 11.5 rebounds, both career highs.
However, not only did the 7-foot-4 phenom suffer a rib bruise Monday night, putting him at risk for the remainder of the regular season and the start of the playoffs, but his MVP bid is also at risk.
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Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs reacts to an injury during the first half of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on April 6, 2026. (Ronald Cortés/Getty Images)
The NBA states that players must play 65 games to be eligible to receive votes for season awards such as MVP and All-NBA teams. However, Wembanyama has played in 63.
That number doesn’t include the NBA Cup Final, which doesn’t actually count toward the stat sheet, but the NBA does count it toward its season award total, which makes it a little safer.
If Wembanyama wants to be named MVP, the NBA allows a maximum of two games in which a player logs between 15 and 19.59 minutes to count toward the league’s required minimum of 65 games played to be eligible for the award. Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks while playing 15:40 in the first half on Monday.
Paul George of the Philadelphia 76ers approaches injured Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on April 6, 2026. (Ronald Cortés/Getty Images)
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Wembanyama took an inadvertent elbow to the ribs from Paul George as the Philadelphia 76ers forward attempted to deflect a pass as the 7-foot-4 Frenchman raced down the court on a fast break with 10:49 left in the first half. Wembanyama fell to the court and remained on the ground for a minute while George patted his behind in apology.
Wembanyama exited the game shortly after the collision and immediately entered the tunnel leading to the locker room while keeping his arm pressed against his side.
He returned with 5:33 left in the period, but asked head coach Mitch Johnson to pull him with 44 seconds left in the first half. He re-entered the tunnel leading to the locker room with his arm stuck to his side and was ruled out at the start of the second half.
San Antonio (60-19) is 2.5 games behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16) and is assured of finishing no worse than second place in the conference.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama brings the ball up court against the Utah Jazz during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (Rob Gray/AP)
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Each of the Spurs’ last three games will be at home.
