Who's playing tonight? Game status for Doncic, Wembanyama & more in Spurs opener

The day Spurs fans have been waiting for is finally here: game day. The 2024-25 NBA season has been underway for two days now, but San Antonio will only be getting their first bite at the apple today. The anticipation is through the roof for another Texas clash between the two superstars, Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Not every team has a generational player on their roster, but the Spurs and the Mavs do. It’s going to make for epic moments for both players, resulting in magical memories for the fans for a long time.

The game will be nationally televised on TNT, but both stars missed significant time in the preseason after long summers. Wemby and Luka both represented their countries in the Olympics, and while Victor missed three of five exhibition games, Doncic missed them all with a calf contusion. Thankfully, both players will be ready to go when the ball tips off on Thursday night.

The Spurs and Mavs have no unexpected injuries

As previously reported, Devin Vassell will remain sidelined for the first few games of the season as he recovers from his offseason surgery. He’ll be reevaluated on November 1. There have been no unexpected setbacks, and he is practicing with contact.

Recently, he took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to let everyone know just how well he’s progressing.

Other than Vassell, there are no additional injuries on the Spurs’ report, so fans should expect to see the rest of a full squad.

The same can be said for the Dallas Mavericks. It’s also being reported that Doncic is off the injury report, and there are no surprise additions. Dante Exum was ruled out weeks ago after injuring his wrist in training camp, making surgery necessary to repair the damage. He’ll be out for at least three months.

While Vassell is more valuable to the Spurs than Exum is to the Mavericks, the Mavs backup guard plays a significant role for them. He played 20 minutes per game and shot 49% from three. He’s 6’5” with a 6’9” wingspan, and he uses his size well on the defensive end to disrupt passing lanes and hassle smaller guards. Losing him is not nothing.

However, this is a Dallas Mavericks team that played in the NBA Finals last season and added former Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson. It’s going to be an uphill battle, any way you slice it. Good thing the Spurs have an alien on their side.