Victor Wembanyama out against the Clippers: Spurs managing their star

The San Antonio Spurs have decided to sit Victor Wembanyama for Thursday night’s game against the LA Clippers. The French center will be out due to « injury management, » according to the official NBA report.

This absence marks Wembanyama’s first missed game since March 12 against the Denver Nuggets. At that time, the Spurs saw their winning streak end with a 136-131 loss. When the Frenchman returned on March 14 against the Charlotte Hornets, he made a remarkable comeback with 32 points and 12 rebounds in 31 minutes, leading the Spurs back to victory.

Victor Wembanyama est forfait pour le match de la nuit face aux Los Angeles Clippers.

Pas d’inquiétude à avoir pour autant, il s’agit d’une mesure préventive liée à l’enchaînement des matches et ses récentes douleurs à la cheville droite.

— Maxime Aubin (@MaximeAubin1) April 2, 2026

A 10-game winning streak to preserve

Since returning from injury in March, the Spurs haven’t lost and are now riding a 10-game winning streak. On Thursday night, they won on the road against the Golden State Warriors with Wemby scoring 41 points for the second straight game in 29 minutes. This impressive streak demonstrates Wembanyama’s impact on his team’s performance, but also the depth of San Antonio’s roster.

With a record of 58 wins and 18 losses, the Spurs have virtually secured home-court advantage for at least two rounds of the playoffs. The Texas team currently holds second place in the Western Conference, two games behind Oklahoma City Thunder, while maintaining a comfortable 10-game lead over the third-place Los Angeles Lakers.

For the Clippers, this game is crucial in their playoff race. The California team is fighting for the best possible position for the Play-In Tournament, currently 3.0 games behind the Phoenix Suns who occupy seventh place.

An exceptional season for the French center

This season, Wembanyama is delivering an MVP-caliber campaign. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic have long dominated the debate, the Frenchman has emerged as a serious contender late in the season, alongside Luka Doncic.

Offensively, Wembanyama averages 24.7 points per game with impressive percentages of 50.9% from the field and 35.0% from 3-point range, while dishing out 3.0 assists. Defensively, he positions himself as a serious candidate for Defensive Player of the Year with 11.5 rebounds, 1 steal and 3.1 blocks per game, leading the league in the latter category for the third consecutive season.

Tip-off for this game without Wembanyama is scheduled for 4:30 AM on Friday, French time