Michael C. Wright
Multiple Authors
SAN ANTONIO — Spurs star Victor Wembanyama took a hard fall in the second quarter of Tuesday night time’s Game 2 playoff loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and was dominated out after being positioned in the concussion protocol.
Wembanyama’s spill got here as he was driving to the basket with 8:57 left in the second quarter and Jrue Holiday defending. He landed chin first on the courtroom and appeared to knock himself out, along with his eyes closing briefly.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama sat beneath the basket for a number of minutes because the crew referred to as a timeout and “Wemby” chants from the gang stuffed Frost Bank Center. He ultimately popped up and ran by means of the tunnel towards the locker room, with head athletic coach Will Sevening following.
Holiday was whistled for a non-shooting foul on the play, and the Spurs subbed in backup heart Luke Kornet for Wembanyama.
Slightly greater than quarter-hour later, Sevening returned to the Spurs bench whereas Wembanyama remained in the locker room. The Spurs dominated him out, saying he was in the concussion protocol.
Wembanyama had 5 factors and 4 rebounds in 12 minutes earlier than exiting. Portland went on to win 106-103 to even the first-round collection at 1.
How a lot time Wembanyama may miss going ahead would be the chief query now for the Spurs.
Under the league’s concussion protocol guidelines, a participant should have a minimum of 48 hours of inactivity and restoration after which should hit a number of benchmarks whereas being symptom-free earlier than he could be cleared to play. After present process neurological testing, a participant should obtain a last clearance from a crew physician in session with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland.
A 3rd-year veteran, the 22-year-old grew to become the youngest NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Monday and the primary participant to win the award unanimously. He averaged a career-high 25.0 factors, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.1 blocks and a steal through the common season, turning into the one participant in the NBA to tally 1,500-plus factors, 700-plus rebounds, 150-plus blocks and 50-plus steals.
Wembanyama produced 43 video games with a block and a steal, and posted 50 multiblock video games, which included 17 outings with 5 blocks or extra.
In Game 1 of the collection, a 111-98 Spurs win Sunday, he had 35 factors and 5 rebounds.
