Wemby sat out Wednesday with the rib contusion.

Victor Wembanyama's MRI came back clean after he left Monday's game against the Sixers with a left rib contusion, but the Spurs sat him for Wednesday's game against the Trail Blazers as a precaution. San Antonio won anyway — they're locked into the West's 2-seed regardless.

Here's the real story: Wemby needs to log 20 or more minutes in at least one of the Spurs' final three regular season games to meet the NBA's 65-game threshold for end-of-season awards eligibility. That means MVP and Defensive Player of the Year are both on the line.

The Spurs have said Wembanyama is day-to-day, and with their seeding already secured, there's no competitive reason to rush him back. But the individual awards race adds urgency. If Wemby can't suit up for even one more game, one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory won't be eligible for the league's top honors.