DALLAS (AP) — San Antonio Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama wasn’t in the lineup for Saturday night’s game at Dallas because of a right knee contusion.
Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson said the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama, last year’s unanimous selection as NBA Rookie of the Year, is day to day.
Wembanyama said after the Spurs’ home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night that his leg was “pretty beat up.”
Wembanyama leads the Spurs averaging 22.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He leads the NBA averaging 3.7 blocks per game after topping the league last season with 3.6.
He had 28 points and 14 rebounds playing 34 minutes on Friday. He scored a career-high 50 points in Wednesday’s win over Washington.
Johnson said “a lot of minutes and a lot of shots” will change without Wembanyama.
“Guys need to step up,” said Johnson, who has coached the Spurs since Gregg Popovich was sidelined Nov. 2 by what the team called a mild stroke. “We don’t need anyone trying to make a whole bunch of plays individually. We need to move the ball, probably play fast and try to continue to maintain our spacing.”
Zach Collins was scheduled to start in Wembanyama’s place.
San Antonio’s next game will be Tuesday at home against Oklahoma City.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) goes to the basket against San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama celebrates a basket during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Iga Swiatek won in singles and doubles to lead Poland's 2-1 comeback against the Czech Republic in the Billie Jean King Cup on Saturday.
Poland will meet Italy in the semifinals after Jasmine Paolini likewise won her singles and doubles matches to lead Italy back for a 2-1 win over Japan.
Marie Bouzkova beat Magdalena Frech 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead on the indoor hard court in Malaga’s Palacio del Deportes.
The second-ranked Swiatek leveled the score after she held on for a 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-5 win over Linda Noskova.
The five-time Grand Slam winner then went back on the court after a short break to help Katarzyna Kawa beat Katerina Siniakova, the world's top-ranked doubles player, and Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4.
“Let’s enjoy this one. For sure it was an exhausting day and some really tough matches, but I am really happy we won that last one,” Swiatek said.
She added that she hadn’t played doubles in three years and praised Kawa's well-placed passing shots in the doubles lane as key to victory.
Swiatek showed no sign that she was worn down by the back-to-back matches that combined for 3 hours, 50 minutes of playing time. The Polish pair converted all four break chances and hit more winners, 29-18, than the Czechs.
Poland is seeking its first title. The Czech Republic is an 11-time champion, second only to the United States’ 18 titles.
The fourth-ranked Paolini, a finalist at Wimbledon and the French Open, defeated Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-4 to level the tie 1-1. She then helped Sara Errani beat Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi 6-3, 6-4 to seal the quarterfinal win.
Japan took the early lead when Ena Shibahara defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Uchijima stole Paolini’s first service game. But that was only a blip in an otherwise dominant showing by the Italian. Paolini broke Uchijima four times and hit 17 forehand winners to secure the straight-set victory.
In doubles, the Italians broke the Japanese four times and made just 14 unforced errors to 23 by their rivals.
“Japan is a tough cookie, as you say in English,” Italy captain Tathiana Garbin said. “They played with a lot of courage so it was fun to watch this kind of level. My players, they played unbelievable doubles, so we made it.”
Italy lost last year’s final to Canada.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic returns the ball against Poland's Iga Swiatek during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning against Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Marie Bouzkova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic celebrate a point against Poland's Katarzyna Kawa and Iga Swiatek during their doubles tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Poland's Katarzyna Kawa, left, and Iga Swiatek compete against Marie Bouzkova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic during their doubles tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Poland's Iga Swiatek returns the ball against Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Poland's Iga Swiatek returns the ball against Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Japan's Moyuka Uchijima returns the ball against Italy's Jasmine Paolini during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Italy's Jasmine Paolini returns the ball against Japan's Moyuka Uchijima during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates a point against Japan's Moyuka Uchijima during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates after winning against Japan's Moyuka Uchijima during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
