The final injury reports are in, and the Christmas Day rematch between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder already has drama. Victor Wembanyama is listed as Questionable with a left calf injury, yet he’s expected to play. On the other side, the Thunder’s list is much longer, with starters and rotation pieces either out or in doubt. For a holiday showcase, the availability game may decide the tone before the opening tip.

This is a pregame update. No game score was reported in the provided links.

Wembanyama listed Questionable but expected to go

The official NBA injury report dated December 23 shows Wembanyama as Questionable with a left calf issue. That aligns with his careful return plan after a strain that cost him 12 straight games. Since coming back, he’s been used off the bench with restricted minutes to protect his long-term health.

As Johnson put it, the approach is still about caution and the bigger picture: “Every day there is a question of preventative because he’s not too far removed from an injury. We have to be so mindful of that kid’s future and bigger picture. And, we’ve had a lot of travel. He’s had life going on and we’re just trying to make sure that we have his best interest at heart regardless of winning streak and excitement and whatever else we are feeling at the time.”

That message is clear. Expect Wembanyama to suit up, but don’t expect a huge workload. San Antonio has been steady about managing his minutes. The goal is simple: keep him on the floor through spring, not just Christmas.

“If Wemby plays 20 minutes, is that enough to swing it?”

Spurs injury report: two-ways out, core intact

San Antonio’s final list is otherwise clean. The Dec. 23 report notes three two-way players as Out (G League two-way):

• Harrison Ingram
• David Jones-Garcia
• Stanley Umude

That trio’s status should not change the main rotation. The headline is Wembanyama’s availability and his minute plan. Outside of that, the Spurs are near full strength, a helpful edge on a quick-turn holiday stage.

Thunder injuries: Holmgren Questionable, several ruled out

Oklahoma City’s report is the story of the day. The Thunder list key names across the board, including Questionable tags and confirmed outs. The statuses vary slightly by outlet for a couple of players, but the theme is the same: OKC is short-handed compared with recent lineups.

• Chet Holmgren: Questionable (back spasms).
• Ousmane Dieng: right calf strain; listed as Out or Questionable depending on the report.
• Ajay Mitchell: in concussion protocol; listed as Questionable or Out across outlets.
• Jaylin Williams: Out (right heel bursitis).
• Thomas Sorber: Out (right ACL surgical recovery).
• Nikola Topic: Out (surgical recovery/groin noted across listings).

The possible swing piece is Holmgren. If he plays, OKC keeps its rim protection and floor spacing intact. If he sits, that is a huge hole in both defense and offense. Jaylin Williams being out removes another big body. Dieng’s calf issue and Mitchell’s concussion protocol affect wing and guard depth, while Topic and Sorber remain long-term absences.

“If Chet sits, who guards the rim for OKC?”

Why availability matters: defense, pace, and the half court

One preview put it bluntly: “The Spurs defense is so lethal and has proven to give OKC fits trying to create offense in the half court.” If the Thunder are missing pieces at the rim and on the wing, those half-court trips get even tougher. San Antonio can sit in gaps, contest at the paint, and trust disciplined rotations. With Wembanyama, even in limited minutes, the threat of length alters shots and decisions.

That’s why Holmgren’s status looms so large. He stretches the floor on one end and erases mistakes on the other. Without him, OKC may need to lean more on pace, early offense, and quick-hitting actions before the Spurs set their shell. But pushing pace while short-handed can be a drain. It’s a delicate balance on Christmas.

What the reports tell us (and what they don’t)

The cleanest, confirmed items are on the Spurs side: the NBA’s Dec. 23 report lists Wembanyama as Questionable (left calf) and the two-way trio of Ingram, Jones-Garcia and Umude as Out (G League). Multiple outlets also agree he’s expected to play as his return continues, with a minutes plan in place.

For the Thunder, some statuses differ across sources, notably for Ousmane Dieng and Ajay Mitchell. That’s common in the final 48 hours before a game. Teams leave room for change after shootaround or pregame testing. The firmest OKC notes are Jaylin Williams (Out: right heel bursitis), Nikola Topic (Out: surgical recovery/groin), and Thomas Sorber (Out: right ACL surgical recovery). Holmgren’s back spasms place him in true Questionable territory.

Christmas checklist: what to watch

• Wembanyama’s minutes: Watch the rotation pattern. Short stints, then quick sits, likely continue. Impact minutes can still swing runs.
• Holmgren’s clearance: If active, how free does he look moving and jumping? If inactive, who fills the rim role?
• OKC’s depth choices: With wings and bigs missing or limited, lineups may skew small. That can help pace but test rebounding.
• Half-court vs. transition: Spurs are comfortable in the half court. Thunder need easy points before the defense is set.
• Foul trouble: With short rotations, early fouls could decide bench patterns and matchups.

The bottom line

This rematch turns on who actually steps on the floor and for how long. The Spurs appear close to full strength, with a careful plan for Wembanyama as he finishes ramping up. The Thunder face the tougher path: a star big who is truly Questionable, rotation players out, and a defense across from them that punishes slow, half-court possessions.

On Christmas, the margins matter. If Wembanyama’s limited minutes still cut off the paint and if Holmgren can’t go, San Antonio’s edge grows. If Chet plays and OKC gets enough from its depth, the math changes. Either way, the final injury report sets the stage: a holiday test where availability is the first factor, and every minute counts.