Spurs Starter, Sunday, November 17, 2024: Wembanyama's Injury Casts Questions

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft and more.

Mathey Gibson | 21 Hours Ago

Nov 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) looks to pass the ball while defended by San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

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San Antonio Spurs

Happy Sunday, Por Vida fans! Welcome to your morning Spurs Starter.

On Friday, the San Antonio Spurs fell to the Lakers in the NBA Cup, and things took a concerning turn when Victor Wembanyama injured his right knee after a collision with Anthony Davis.

Just a day later, the Spurs had to take on the Mavericks without their star, and the absence was felt in a tough 110-93 loss. Now, with Wembanyama sidelined indefinitely due to a significant knee contusion, the Spurs are counting on their roster to step up in his place.

“Guys need to step up,” Mitch Johnson said. “We don’t need anyone trying to make a whole bunch of plays individually. We need to move the ball, probably play fast and try to continue to maintain our spacing.”

It’s unclear when Wembanyama will be ready to return, but with a critical matchup against the Thunder coming up in the group stage on Tuesday, the Spurs will need to regroup quickly.

Now, onto the headlines.

THE NEWS

1. READ: NO MATTER THE VOICE, POPOVICH'S IMPACT LOOMS

The San Antonio Spurs provided an update on Gregg Popovich's health Wednesday morning, leaving the timeline for his return uncertain but his immediate status optimistic.

Read the full story at the link above.

2. LOOK: SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO GREGG POPOVICH NEWS

On Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs revealed that Popovich suffered a stroke on November 2, addressing questions regarding his absence.

Read the full story at the link above.

3. READ: WEMBANYAMA MAKES HISTORY WITH 50-POINT PERFORMANCE

The San Antonio Spurs, spearheaded by Victor Wembanyama's 50-point performance, held on against the Washington Wizards Wednesday night. Beyond the win, the 20-year-old also made history in a few regards.

Read the full story at the link above.

TODAY'S SCHEDULE

No game scheduled. Next: vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m. CT | Nov. 19

MEDIA DAY, TRAINING CAMP

Now that the Media Day is over and the 2024-25 season is set to kick off, you can check out the stories surrounding the team as it gears up for the beginning of the regular season.

- The Ultimate Guide to Spurs Training Camp

- Everything Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich Said at Media Day

- Victor Wembanyama is 'Funnier' as Spurs Prepare for New Season

- Chris Paul and Gregg Popovich, Once Rivals, Now Set to Join Forces

- Wembanyama Adds 25 Pounds Ahead of His Second NBA Season

- Chris Paul Enters San Antonio as Polished Veteran, Mutual Choice

- Keldon Johnson Is Back For Year 6, and Feels Like the Old Man

- Wembanyama 'Working on Fundamentals' Ahead of Sophomore Year

- Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul Share Comical Moment During Media Day

- Gregg Popovich Looking Forward To Season of Improvemen

- Castle Impresses Spurs Early with Versatility and 'Own Pace'

- Wembanyama Sets Next Big Goal: Elevating His Spurs Teammates

- Alpine F1 Team Announce New Era Clothing Collaboration

- Gregg Popovich Likes New, Improved Victor Wembanyama

- Is Stephon Castle's Jump Shot A Genuine Problem?

- Jeremy Sochan Ready to Thrive at 'Natural' Position

- Will Julian Champagnie Start In Place of Devin Vassell?

- Zach Collins 'Feeling Great' After Shoulder Surgery

- Harrison Barnes Speaks on Young Spurs' Winning Mentality

- Castle Speaks on Spurs' 'Aggressive' Defensive Mindset

- Keldon Johnson Focused on Getting Better, Sticking Around

- Champagnie's Approach to Begin New Season? 'Just Keep Shooting'

- How Can Sandro Mamukelashvili Earn Rotational Minutes?

THE FULL SCHEDULE

The San Antonio Spurs played their first game of the year on Oct. 25, kicking off the second season of Victor Wembanyama's young NBA career. Now that it's through, here's a preview of some upcoming dates and times (all in CST) throughout the season to watch for:

San Antonio Spurs Regular Season Schedule

Dec. 10: NBA Cup Knockout Rounds Begin
Dec. 25: MSG Christmas at New York Knicks

Dec. 31: New Year's vs. LA Clippers

Jan. 23-25: Paris Games vs. Indiana Pacers

Feb. 3: Rodeo Road Trip Begins at Memphis Grizzlies

Feb. 14-16: All-Star Break

Feb. 20: Spurs Get Moody vs. Phoenix Suns
Feb. 21: Spurs Get Moody vs. Detroit Pistons

March 21: Longest Home Stand Ends vs. Philadelphia 76ers

April 6: Final Road Trip Begins at Portland Trail Blazers
April 13: Final Home Game vs. Toronto Raptors

AROUND THE NBA

Catch up on some of the league-wide headlines below:

Also, be sure to follow along with Spurs On SI's NBA tracker, with more detailed breakdowns of major league news and updates.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“If people are pleased with the way we played, I think that's great. And if people think it's good enough to learn from it and use it as an example, that's great. We just did the best we could to be who we are.”
- Gregg Popovich on 2014 title

THIS DAY IN SPURS HISTORY

November 17, 1986: The cover of Sports Illustrated focusses on Michael Jordan, with the headline “One-Man Gang.” The photo was of him making a play on Mychal Thompson of the Spurs.