Will Victor Wembanyama play against OKC Thunder? Gregg Popovich gives update after beating Grizzlies

The battle of the twin giants awaits you tomorrow at the Paycom Center. The San Antonio Spurs visit the Oklahoma City Thunder for their final meeting of the season. The Spurs (20-59) remain in last place in the Western Conference while OKC struggles to climb into third place. Regardless, despite the extensive storylines, fans are expecting a showdown between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren to cement their duel for the Rookie of the Year debate. However, it looks like Wembanyama might not be available for the back-to-back scenario.

Gregg Popovich made the announcement after the Spurs' blowout win over the Memphis Grizzlies Wemby remains uncertain for the Oklahoma game. His absence will be a huge burden for both Spurs and their fans. Away from Wemby, they are expected to come into the game with six players off the pitch.

Charles Bassey (ACL), Jeremy Sochan (left ankle impingement) and Devin Vassell (right foot stress reaction) have already been declared inactive for the season. In addition, Keldon Johnson (foot), Cedi Osman (ankle) and Dominick Barlow (knee) also did not take part in the last game. On the other hand, the roster appears to be much healthier for the Thunder.

With a home-field advantage, OKC has a healthy roster other than Gordon Hayward, who has missed his last two games with a lower leg problem. Additionally, the Thunder are on a two-game winning streak after doing well against the Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings.

Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren this season

Wembanyama and Holmgren have faced each other three times this season, with the record being OKC (2-1). So far the game results have been one-sided, with both teams winning by at least 14 points. However, the matches have been nothing short of spectacular, with Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren topping the ROTY rankings.

In those three games, Wembanyama averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds and 4.3 assists against Chet, while the OKC big man posted 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4 assists. While the numbers suggest Wembanyama is one step ahead, Chet has a more efficient scoring performance. Holmgren converted 50% of his shots against Wemby's team, while Victor scored almost 41%.

This season, Chet's shots are probably the biggest advantage the 21-year-old has over the Frenchman. He is averaging 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.4 blocks per game with a field goal efficiency of 52.7%. Additionally, unlike Wembanyama, Chet takes a more holistic approach to his shot selection. Despite playing nine more games than Victor this season, Chet has attempted nearly 200 fewer field goal attempts. However, the distinction says more about Chet than it detracts from Wembanyama's abilities.

Despite the pressure to perform and a squad that is still being built, Wembanyama has managed to captivate fans and analysts alike. Although it took some time, he averaged 21.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.6 blocks this season; historic numbers as a rookie. In addition, he has performed well against the league's top centers (Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic) and is already a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.