Wemby is still out with a bruised rib after that Paul George collision

Victor Wembanyama left San Antonio's win over the 76ers with a bruised rib after a collision with Paul George, and while X-rays came back negative, he sat out the next game against Portland. He's now played 64 games this season.

That number matters. The NBA's 65-game rule requires players to appear in at least 65 regular-season games to be eligible for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-NBA honors. Wembanyama needs to suit up for just one more game to clear the threshold, and the Spurs have three games remaining before the regular season ends on April 12.

The Spurs have the 2 seed locked up in the West and could rest Wemby without consequence for playoff positioning. But missing these awards — especially MVP and DPOY, where he's a leading candidate — would be a brutal outcome over a bruised rib. Expect San Antonio to get him on the court for at least a few minutes in one of the final three games to hit the magic number.