Trail Blazers vs. Spurs Thursday NBA injury report, odds: Quest for Victor Wembanyama has both teams sitting nearly every key player

Arguably the most extreme version of tanking in the NBA this season in the hopes of winning next month's draft lottery and the chance to select once-in-a-generation prospect Victor Wembanyama is on display Thursday when Portland visits San Antonio. It would almost be easier to name which relevant players will take the court than which will not. The Spurs are rare favorites at -4 at Caesars Sportsbook.

The Spurs have been tanking for months so this is really nothing new for them. The key is to finish with one of the three-worst records in the NBA to have an equal top chance of 14% to win the lottery – and San Antonio already is guaranteed to finish with either the second- or third-worst record in the league.

Sitting out Thursday night for Gregg Popovich's team are Charles Bassey, Khem Birch, Devonte' Graham, Doug McDermott, Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell. Questionable are Keldon Johnson and Romeo Langford, while Zach Collins is probable. Johnson leads the team in scoring at 22.0 points per game.

It's only the third time all season the Spurs have been favored. They were -1.5 at home on Jan. 6 vs. Detroit and won 121-109; and were -1.5 at home vs. Milwaukee, which was without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Kris Middleton and others, on Nov. 11 and won 111-93. The Spurs are actually on a six-game straight up winning streak as a favorite (5-1 against the spread) dating back to last season.

Portland didn't start tanking until fairly recently as it didn't want to antagonize superstar Damian Lillard, who hasn't played since March 22 and won't the rest of the way. In addition to Lillard, out tonight are: Jerami Grant, Nassir Little, Jusuf Nurkic, Anfernee Simons and Justise Winslow. Matisse Thybulle is doubtful; Trendon Watford, Shaedon Sharpe and Cam Reddish are questionable; and Drew Eubanks and Kevin Knox are probable. Some players have to actually take the court.

The Blazers sit at 33-46, the fifth-worst record in the NBA, and they can't get any lower but there are three teams with 34 wins – Orlando, Indiana and Washington – so it makes sense to sit all the questionable players to keep losing and stay below those 34-win clubs, whereas the Spurs don't "have" to tank in the final few games because it won't hurt their lottery positioning.

Portland leads the season series 3-0 but was a much different team in all those wins. 

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