Michael C. Wright
Multiple Authors
SAN ANTONIO — Spurs star Victor Wembanyama sustained a concussion on a tough fall through the second quarter of Tuesday night time’s Game 2 playoff loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Wembanyama performed simply 12 minutes earlier than being positioned in the concussion protocol and dominated out for the sport.
“I just know he has a concussion and he’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson after the 106-103 loss, which evened the first-round sequence at 1. “We’ll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Asked if Wembanyama was being evaluated for something past a concussion, Johnson mentioned: “No.”
Under the NBA’s concussion protocol guidelines, a participant can not return to full participation for 48 hours after the time of the harm however can resume gradual exercise after 24 hours so long as signs do not worsen. The participant should hit a number of benchmarks whereas being symptom-free earlier than he’s cleared to play. He will then require clearance from the crew physician in session with the league protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland.
Wembanyama’s spill got here as he was driving to the basket with 8:57 left in the second quarter with Jrue Holiday defending. Wembanyama landed chin first on the court docket and appeared to knock himself out, together with his eyes closing briefly.
Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant and Harrison Barnes instantly rushed over to test on Wembanyama, together with Stephon Castle.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama sat beneath the basket for a number of minutes because the Spurs known as a timeout and “Wemby” chants from the group crammed Frost Bank Center. He finally popped up and ran by means of the tunnel towards the locker room, with head athletic coach Will Sevening following.
“I was just checking on him, making sure he was OK,” Castle mentioned. “I was subbing in. Obviously, he ran off [the floor]. So that’s a good sign.”
Holiday was whistled for a non-shooting foul on the play, and the Spurs subbed in backup heart Luke Kornet for Wembanyama.
“I got the foul call,” Holiday mentioned. “I didn’t think I touched him, but I don’t really know. After they called the foul, I went to complain to the ref. I didn’t really see [Wembanyama’s fall].”
Somewhat 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 earlier than exiting. He left the sector earlier than the conclusion of the sport, based on a crew spokesperson.
“We’re hoping for the best, but I haven’t heard anything,” ahead Keldon Johnson mentioned. “Obviously, it’s a big hit that we don’t have the big fellow. But we’re a good team, and we’ll continue to stay together, have each other’s back and do what got us here.”
Wembanyama, 22, turned 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 per recreation 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.
He produced 43 video games with a block and a steal and had 50 multiblock video games, which included 17 outings with 5 blocks or extra.
In Game 1 of this sequence, a 111-98 Spurs win Sunday, Wembanyama had 35 factors and 5 rebounds.
San Antonio defeated Portland in all three regular-season conferences, and Wembanyama did not play in any of these video games.
“We’ve played tough games without him,” Castle mentioned. “Obviously we want everybody healthy and to have him on the court. But whatever five guys are on the court [for Game 3], we’re going to play like ourselves.”
