San Antonio Spurs: Injury Reports for the Play-In to the Play-In Tournament
By Dylan Carter
The fate of the San Antonio Spurs’ season is dependent on a four-game slate on Thursday — Here’s which players will be available.
It’s all come down to this. After a year of turbulence and unexpected roadblocks, the final day of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2019-20 regular season is upon us and they need a stroke of good luck to make it into the playoffs. Seven teams face off on Thursday afternoon that seal the matchups that ensue in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
There are a few ways for the San Antonio Spurs to make the ninth seed and they all require that they win their matchup against the Utah Jazz. That shouldn’t be too difficult considering the regular crew from the Orlando restart is good to go with Forbes (hip), Zeller (knee), Lyles (appendectomy) and Aldridge (shoulder) all sidelined.
Whether it be to prepare for the postseason or due to legitimate concern is in the air, but two pivotal Jazz players will sit: center Rudy Gobert (back), point guard Mike Conley (knee). Furthermore, backup point guard Emmanuel Mudiay is questionable with left knee soreness. Basically, the Spurs need to do a halfway decent job of containing Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson to secure their win.
1 spot, 4 teams. Who you got? pic.twitter.com/AZ247AVIlQ
— FanSided (@FanSided) August 12, 2020
However, the Spurs are dependent on some unlikely results. Memphis needs to lose to a Milwaukee team without Giannis, who was suspended for headbutting a Wizards player in the previous game. May I just say… ouch! Furthermore, starter Wes Matthews is out with an adductor injury and their veteran shooting, Ilyasova is questionable. As has been the case as of late, the Grizzlies will be understaffed without Winslow, Jackson Jr. and Jones.
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If the MVP-less Bucks can take care of business, the Spurs need one of the Phoenix Suns or Portland Trail Blazers to lose as well. Brooklyn is bringing everyone but Jamal Crawford to play against the Blazers and has been a surprisingly fun team in the bubble. Tomorrow, we all root for LeVert, Allen and TLC to get the job done against a red-hot Dame Lillard.
Phoenix is clashing with Dallas, who has a major question mark on their injury report: Kristaps Porzingis. You can expect Luka to play, but the supporting cast is still unclear. Sharpshooter Seth Curry is also questionable but the likelihood is that Finney-Smith and Kleber play to give the Spurs a shot at making it in.
The playoff implications are intense, just as the NBA had hoped. Whether or not they make it, the Spurs should be proud of how they performed in the bubble. If their stay gets extended then great! But if not, it’s nothing to lose sleep over. A lottery pick is probably more valuable anyway.
….Still, setting an NBA-record 23-year playoff streak would be pretty incredible.