The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers are coming into the matchup tonight, hoping to get back to winning ways. The former is coming off two losses, the recent being the 127-100 defeat at the hands of the Rockets. As for the ‘Rip City,’ after a two-game losing streak, they managed to dominate the Pelicans 118-100. With Gregg Popovich absent, there’s no doubt the Blazers will likely look to capitalize on the Spurs’ challenges.

The fact that they have a few key players on the injury report doesn’t help either. As Victor Wembanyama & Co. prepares to host Portland, let’s take a look at the names on the injury list. Tre Jones continues his extended absence, as an ankle injury had sidelined the Silver & Black’s floor general for two weeks.

Devin Vassell also remains ‘Out’ and his unavailability has had some serious implications on San Antonio‘s offensive production. The team’s interim head coach, Mitch Johnson, noted earlier that Vassell is ramping up his activity. The last update on the 24-year-old was that he would be sidelined for the road trip. Considering Coach Johnson’s uplifting update, perhaps we can look forward to him suiting up.

And finally, Jeremy Sochan. Amid a breakout campaign, the 21-year-old is likely looking at a long time away from the court. According to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, “The Spurs announced Tuesday that Sochan suffered a fracture in the proximal phalanx of his left thumb during Monday’s game against the Clippers. Sochan is scheduled to undergo surgery this week, and the team will provide updates as appropriate.”

With the young forward ‘Out’ for the foreseeable future, Victor Wembanyama & Co. will have to find a solution for their defensive lapses against perimeter players. It was, after all, a glaring issue against their I-10 rivals last night.

Under such circumstances, how does the depth chart for the San Antonio Spurs look like?

The depth chart and other details of the San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers tonight

Since we did list out the Spurs’ injured members, it wouldn’t be a stretch to include Coach Popovich on the report, either. As you might already know, the 75-year-old Hall of Famer suffered a “serious health issue,” per Shams Charania, ahead of the Timberwolves matchup.

“It is still uncertain when he will make it back on the floor, on the sideline, for the team,” the Senior NBA Insider further added in his appearance on NBA Today. In his absence, just two-and-a-half hours before the tip-off, assistant coach Johnson was notified that he would be handling the head coach duties for the time being. Coach Pop, though, remains ‘indefinitely out’.

Going back to the depth chart, this is what San Antonio’s depth chart looks like.

Of course, Vassell and Jones are out for the matchup. As such, Castle, Branham, Wesley, and Champagnie are likely to see an uptick in their minutes. The matchup is scheduled to tip-off at 8:00 PM ET at Frost Bank Center.

The San Antonio Spurs will certainly be down a few players and their head honcho, but it it’s an opportunity for their young roster to step up and prove their resilience. This matchup offers a valuable test, challenging the Spurs to tighten their defense and rally under Coach Johnson’s guidance. With a passionate home crowd and a roster filled with promising talent, the Spurs have all the motivation they need to rise to the occasion tonight!