Victor Wembanyama is officially out because of the NBA’s concussion protocol after a scary fall where he went face-first to the floor in Game re against the Portland Trail Blazers. This happened just a few days after his amazing first NBA playoff game and could really change how the first round of the playoffs goes, and is likely to harm the Spurs’ progress.
What happened in Game 2
About halfway through the second quarter, Wembanyama drove to the basket, turned while being bumped by someone, and lost his balance. He couldn’t protect himself, and the twenty-two-year-old fell to the floor, hitting his chin hard on the court with 8:57 remaining in the quarter. He stayed on the floor for a worrying period, and the fans in the arena became very quiet.
He did eventually get up and walked off the court to the locker room. The Spurs quickly said he was now in the concussion protocol and wouldn’t be coming back. At that point he had five points (making only one of three shots in twelve minutes), four rebounds, one blocked shot and one assist.
Videos of the fall were quickly shared all over the place, showing how hard he hit the floor and Wembanyama walking to the locker room. Another view very clearly showed his head hitting the wood of the court. This showed just how serious the situation was and how quickly the Spurs’ medical staff responded.
Why it matters for the Spurs
This couldn’t have happened at a worse time. The Spurs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, they’re ahead one-zero in the series, and they are trying to win at home in a very close first-round matchup. Taking away their best defender completely changes the odds in the series.
Wembanyama’s historic form
Just one game before, Wembanyama scored 35 points in his first playoff game, a franchise record, going past Tim Duncan’s 32 points from 1998. And a day before the injury, he was the unanimous choice for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Throughout the entire season, the seven-foot-four rookie has been a dominant player, getting 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, a league-leading 3.1 blocks, and one steal per game. He’s been the core of one of the NBA’s best defenses and helped the Spurs get the second-best record in the regular season, and he was in contention for the MVP award alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.
Inside the concussion protocol
A Spurs team representative said Wembanyama is being checked for a concussion and they expect to know for sure what’s wrong within 24 hours. According to the league rules, any player in the concussion protocol must rest for at least 48 hours before moving on to the next steps.
After that 48 hours of rest, the player has to have no more symptoms to be allowed to continue and finish a set of tests. Finally, they need to pass a neurological exam and get the okay from the team doctor and the NBA’s concussion protocol director.
Here’s how the process of returning to play normally works:
– At least 48 hours of rest and getting better
– Passing tests to show no symptoms
– Neurological tests to prove he’s ready
– Approval from the team and the league’s doctors
What comes next
Now San Antonio is waiting for news from the doctors which will decide what will happen with Wembanyama and the series in the short term. The possibility of not having their best defender is a big challenge to their rhythm in the postseason and how they plan to win.
This is a really disappointing blow because of how good Wembanyama is on both offense and defense, and because of his leadership despite being only 22 years old. The Spurs might have to make quick changes on offense and defense, but how long that takes depends on how quickly he gets through each step of the protocol without any problems.
For a team that climbed to the second-best record in the league because of its fantastic defense, Wembanyama’s condition is the most important thing. If Wembanyama is back on the court soon and is healthy, the Spurs still have a very high chance of doing well. But if he isn’t, the Spurs will have to fight hard to keep their advantage in a series that’s now a lot closer.
