Victor Wembanyama may miss some time after a rib injury scare in the San Antonio Spurs 115-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Reports indicate Wembanyama’s injury isn’t serious, and he will likely suit up for the one required game he has to play to qualify for end-of-season awards. However, he will likely miss the Spurs’ final matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers this season, as he is listed as doubtful. Stephon Castle joins him on the injury report with the same designation.
This will be
the rubber match between Portland and San Antonio, as the series is tied 1-1. The Blazers defeated the Spurs in their last matchup, 115-110, a game in which Wembanyama also sat out, and Luke Kornet led the team with 23 points. Portland is fighting hard for its playoff positioning, as they sit just a half-game back of the Los Angeles Clippers for 8th in the Western Conference. This game could impact who the Spurs play in the first round and could be a preview of a potential playoff series.
San Antonio Spurs (60-19) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (40-39)
April 8th, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT
Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Stephon Castle – Doubtful (knee), Victor Wembanyama – Doubtful (rib), Harrison Ingram – Questionable (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Out (ankle), Emanuel Miller – Questionable (G League)
Trail Blazers Injuries: Jerami Grant – Out (calf), Vit Krejci – Doubtful (calf), Damian Lillard – Out (achilles), Shaedon Sharpe – Doubtful (fibula)
What to watch for:
Grabbing defensive rebounds
The Blazers are awesome offensive rebounders. If Wembanyama is a Godzilla-type figure, then Donovan Clingan is his King Kong (or Cling Kong) counterpart. The Portland big man leads the league in offensive rebounds with 4.5 a game. Without Wembanyama, Kornet will be counted on to keep Clingan off the glass. It’ll have to be a team effort on the boards, though. The Blazers are 2nd in the NBA with 14.1 offensive rebounds per game. Allowing second-chance points will crush the Spurs’ chances of winning.
Small ball advantage?
The Spurs often go to a small-ball second unit when Wembanyama sits. Carter Bryant has surprisingly been the team’s best third center on the roster this year. Against bigger teams, that lack of size can sometimes come back to bite San Antonio. Against Portland, however, it could work to their advantage. Robert Williams III is a stout, athletic defender, but not much of an offensive threat. Bryant should be able to handle him on the defensive end. On offense, the Spurs will have more ball-handlers and floor spacers to take advantage of a Portland defense that already allows 116.1 points per game. This may be the one game the Spurs’ small-ball lineup could end up a net-positive.
Dylan Harper starting
With Castle potentially resting this game, Harper should get a shot in the starting unit. In his two games as a starter, Harper averaged 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. He’s been playing some excellent basketball lately, shooting the ball effectively, scoring around the rim, and playing tough defense on the perimeter. He’ll have his work cut out for him against tough perimeter defenders like Toumani Camara and Jrue Holiday, but a big game in the starting five could be exactly what Harper needs to hit the ground running into the playoffs.
