As the NBA is plagued with star injuries, the games must go on. Both San Antonio and Atlanta will be without their stars Thursday night, in what will be a battle of the second options. San Antonio, fresh
off a clutch win against the Memphis Grizzlies, will be without several key players, while Atlanta has also played well despite missing Trae Young.
For San Antonio, the absence of Victor Wembanyama leaves a deficit on both offense and defense that will need to be filled from somewhere. The workload was carried in their last contest by veterans De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes.
The Hawks have managed well without Young. Some even speculate they are better off, carrying a record of 7-3 with him out of the lineup compared to 2-3 with him. Up-and-comer Jalen Johnson has taken to the responsibility, being awarded Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors, averaging a near triple-double of 24, 12, and 9 during that time.
San Antonio Spurs (10-4) vs. Atlanta Hawks (9-6)
November 20th 2025 | 7:00 ct
Watch: NBATV, FDSS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Victor Wembanyama, calf (OUT), Dylan Harper, calf (OUT), Stephon Castle, hip (OUT), Jordan McLaughlin, hamstring (day-to-day)
Hawks Injuries: Trae Young, knee (OUT), Kristaps Porzingis, knee (day-to-day), Zaccharie Risacher, hip (day-to-day)
What to watch for
- De’Aaron Fox has been dealt a temporary bad hand over the start of the season. First, he was sidelined by his own injury, and now his lead actor must sit out while he is upgraded from supporting to a starring role. On top of that, he has basically no help in the back court, with Castle and Harper also needing to take time off. However, having won the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award in 2023, Fox is no stranger to the moment. A fact he proved against the Grizzlies, scoring 22 of his 26 points in the second half. Look for Fox to continue to make his mark in a Spurs jersey, as this will only be his 24th game with the club. He was a big acquisition for the Spurs last season and still offers much to look forward to.
- Jalen Johnson has been a star on the rise for Atlanta for some time now. Now in his fifth season, he is averaging career and team highs in points (22) and assists (6.5). Young is a talented offensive player, but Johnson has been able to carry much of the load in his absence. He has found efficiency as a scorer despite not taking many threes (3.2 attempts per game). Johnson averages a respectable 61.6 effective field goal percentage and gets to the rim for 46 percent of his shots, and converts 70 percent of them (per cleaningtheglass.com). Without the best rim protector in the league in his way, it’s safe to say he will be looking to attack the basket.
- The Spurs experimented briefly with a no point guard lineup against the Grizzlies. And if McLaughlin is also out, Mitch Johnson may experiment a little more. Fox can’t play all 48 minutes. It’s a minute sample size, but of the 61 possessions not to feature Fox, Castle, Harper, or McLaughlin, the Spurs are -3.1 points per 100 possessions. That’s basically treading water, but that’s more than fine if Fox doesn’t have too much of a deficit to welcome him back on the floor. Look for Johnson to throw out some different lineups if need be while the backcourt nurses their injuries.
