Clippers Avoid Facing Wembanyama in Crucial Spurs Matchup

Kawhi Leonard is off the injury report, but the Clippers will not have to deal with the Spurs' French phenom on Thursday.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:42pm by Ben Kaplan

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game between the Clippers and Spurs, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the players and action on the court.The Clippers' small-ball lineups will be put to the test against the Spurs, but without having to face the towering presence of rookie Victor Wembanyama.San Francisco Today

The Los Angeles Clippers are desperately trying to hold onto the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoff race, and they'll get a boost on Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs as they won't have to face rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama has been ruled out with a right ankle injury management designation, allowing the Clippers to focus on containing the Spurs' other weapons without having to worry about the 7'4" French big man.

Why it matters

This game has major playoff implications for the Clippers, who are trying to fend off the Portland Trail Blazers for the final play-in spot. Avoiding Wembanyama is a significant advantage, as the Spurs' defense and overall team performance takes a noticeable hit without their prized rookie. A win over the Spurs could also set up a potential first-round playoff matchup between the two teams.

The details

The Clippers are relatively healthy heading into this game, with only backup center Isaiah Jackson ruled out. This means head coach Tyronn Lue will have to rely on small-ball lineups featuring John Collins and Nicolas Batum at the center position. The Spurs, on the other hand, will be without Wembanyama, who is being rested on the second night of a back-to-back after a dominant 41-point performance against the Warriors. In Wembanyama's absence, the Spurs will likely start Luke Kornet at center with Mason Plumlee seeing some minutes off the bench.

  • The Clippers and Spurs will face off on Thursday, April 3, 2026.
  • The Spurs played the Warriors on Wednesday, April 2, 2026, the night before the Clippers matchup.

The players

Kawhi Leonard

The Clippers' star forward, who is dealing with a wrist injury but has not appeared on the injury report for this game.

Victor Wembanyama

The highly touted Spurs rookie, who will miss this game due to right ankle injury management.

Isaiah Jackson

The Clippers' backup center, who has been ruled out for this game.

Luke Kornet

The Spurs' likely starting center in Wembanyama's absence.

Mason Plumlee

The Spurs' backup center who could see increased minutes with Wembanyama out.

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What’s next

If the Clippers can hold onto the 8th seed, they would face the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, setting up a potential postseason matchup between the two teams.

The takeaway

The Clippers have a golden opportunity to gain ground in the playoff race by avoiding having to deal with the dominant presence of Victor Wembanyama. This could be a crucial advantage as they try to fend off the Blazers and secure a spot in the play-in tournament.