Victor

Wembanyama

Two days after his teammate, Victor Wembanyama, won Defensive Player of the Year, Johnson now brings home the Sixth Man award. The honor highlights the seventh-year forward’s contributions and impact off the bench, averaging 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in all 82 regular-season games. He joins Manu Ginobili as the only Spurs players to win the award.

Wembanyama took a hard fall and landed on his face early in Game 2’s loss to the Trail Blazer. The 22-year-old center entered the concussion protocol and was diagnosed with a concussion. He must now have at least 48 hours of inactivity before clearing several benchmarks while being symptom-free before he is cleared to play again. Wembanyama could still miss multiple games before returning. Luke Kornet should fill in while Wembanyama is sidelined.

Wembanyama took a hard fall and landed on his face while diving for a loose ball in the first half of Game 2 against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The 22-year-old center headed to the locker room and entered the concussion protocol, according to a report from Charania. Wembanyama won’t return to Game 2 and if it’s determined that he suffered a concussion, he could miss more time in this series. Luke Kornet should see more minutes if that’s the case.

Not only did Wembanyama win his first Defensive Player of the Year award, but he did so in dominant fashion. The Spurs’ center became the franchise’s first winner since Kawhi Leonard in 2016, and he received every first-place vote. Wembanyama is the first to win the award unanimously since its creation in 1982-83, and he’s also the youngest winner. This is likely to be the first of many Defensive Player of the Year awards for Wembanyama, who is also a finalist for league MVP. Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and Detroit’s Ausar Thompson rounded out the top three.

Wembanyama’s first taste of the NBA postseason was a success. The superstar center was particularly productive from the three-point line in this game, where his five triples accounted for one-third of San Antonio’s total from beyond the arc. He also took advantage of his attempts from the free-throw line and converted several shots inside the arc to help land a game-high in points. Yet, his usual counting stats across the board weren’t as great as they often are; Wemby finished below his regular-season averages in rebounds, assists, and blocked shots during his time on the floor. While his impact on both ends was clear, he’ll have a chance to log a greater overall stat line in Game 2.

Wembanyama has been ruled out for the last game of the regular season with a rib injury. The Spurs are already locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and Wembanyama has already played enough to qualify for awards. Luke Kornet should start and play plenty of minutes against the Nuggets on Sunday.

While Wembanyama and Castle played in Friday’s win over the Mavericks, Castle did not. The Spurs are locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and the Wemby and Castle have played enough to be eligible for postseason awards. Players like Carter Bryant and Harrison Ingram could play plenty on Sunday.

Wemby returned from a one-game absence and played 26 minutes, which was a little more than enough for him to qualify for a 65th game played and be eligible for awards. However, he didn’t just coast to get there; he dominated this game with his third 40-point double-double in his last five appearances. Wemby has once again been one of the best players in fantasy basketball and will look to carry this dominant production into his first playoff appearance.

Wembanyama is back after a one-game absence, but fantasy managers in active leagues should not expect to see him take on a full workload. He needs to play at least 20 minutes in either of the Spurs’ final two games to become eligible for postseason awards, and San Antonio is locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Luke Kornet heads to the bench, but his playing time may not take a significant hit.

Wembanyama will be a game-time decision for Friday’s game. With the Spurs locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, Wemby and the Spurs’ sole motivation for him to play may be to ensure he’s eligible for postseason awards. He needs to play at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s final two games to be eligible. Expect to see plenty of Luke Kornet on Friday.