Key Injuries Should Make it Easier for Wemby as Spurs Host Suns

SAN ANTONIO - Victor Wembanyama set the target of a top-six seed at media day, and in game number 70 the Spurs have a chance to hit that goal.

The Phoenix Suns are visiting the Alamo City on Thursday night, and the trouble that the Suns gave San Antonio earlier in the season has helped the Spurs become the successful team that they are.

Way back in November, the Suns got physical with Victor Wembanyama to hand San Antonio their first loss of the season. Wemby shot 4-14 for just 9 points and turned the ball over six times in that game, which was probably the worst of his season.

The fiesty Dillon Brooks was a key part of the defensive strategy against Wemby, and he's out for Phoenix tonight as he nurses a broken hand. Brooks has taken a leap on offense this year as well, averaging 21 points per game. The Suns will also be exposed on the glass against Wembanyama, as leading rebounder Mark Williams is out for this game too.

The Suns had success in that first game by putting smaller, scrappier defenders on Wembanyama, and in addition to Brooks they could be missing a pair of those guys. Royce O'Neale is out with a sore left knee, and Grayson Allen and Haywood Highsmith are both listed as questionable on the injury report with knee ailments.

Meanwhile, the Spurs appear to be in tip-top shape. Dylan Harper and Luke Kornet missed San Antonio's victory over the Clippers, and Devin Vassell missed the win in Sacramento, but nobody is on the injury report against the Suns except for San Antonio's Two-Way players.

Phoenix's strategy paid off in that first game and gave other teams a road map for attacking Wembanyama, at least at first. As the season has gone on and the tests have gotten more and more physical, Wemby has done a good job of answering the bell and his teammates have gotten better and better at playing out of the double teams that get thrown at the big fella.

San Antonio has won 19 of their last 21 games as they try to chase down Oklahoma City for the league's best record. It would have been inconceivable when Wembanyama set the target at media day, but the Spurs are just three games back of the Thunder with 13 left to play.

If the Spurs are able to take care of business and win tonight, they'll punch their ticket to the postseason and end the longest playoff drought in franchise history.

WHO:

Phoenix Suns (39-30, L3)
San Antonio Spurs (51-18, W2)

WHEN:

Thursday, March 19 (Tipoff 7 p.m. Central)

WHERE:

Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas

HOW TO WATCH:

FanDuel Sports Network

INJURY REPORT:

SAS:

David Jones-Garcia (ankle) - OUT
Harrison Ingram (Two-Way) - OUT
Emanuel Miller (Two-Way) - OUT

LAC:

Dillon Brooks (hand) - OUT
Mark Williams (foot) - OUT
Royce O'Neale (knee) - OUT
Grayson Allen (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
Haywood Highsmith (knee) - QUESTIONABLE