Victor Wembanyama powered the San Antonio Spurs to a 114-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series, taking a 3-1 lead. The star center, who missed Game 3 due to a concussion from Game 2, recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven blocks and three steals. He praised his team's medical staff but expressed frustration with how the NBA handled the return-to-play process.
Wembanyama suffered a concussion during Tuesday's Game 2, sidelining him for Friday's Game 3, which the Spurs won 120-108 without him. He returned on Sunday with a dominant performance, shooting 9-for-17 from the field in 34 minutes for a plus-28 rating. The unanimous Defensive Player of the Year helped secure the blowout win, advancing San Antonio's playoff prospects. In a walkoff interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews, Wembanyama shared mixed emotions. > I had lots of emotions in me before the game -- obviously, excitement, frustration -- so I let a lot out tonight. He added: > The Spurs have done an amazing job. I'm very unhappy about the way the protocol has been handled by other parties. At the postgame podium, Wembanyama elaborated briefly, via The Athletic's Jared Weiss. > I won't get into the details. I don't want it to become a distraction. Ask me again after the end of the season... the way the situation was handled was very disappointing. Not on the Spurs. He emphasized that Spurs doctors provided excellent care and noted he felt healthy from day one after the injury. Wembanyama stopped short of critiquing the decision to sit him out, calling it simply 'a decision.'
