San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama left Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and entered the NBA's concussion protocol. He took a hard fall to the floor with 8:57 left in the second quarter after being fouled by Blazers guard Jrue Holiday. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday in Portland.
Wembanyama lost his footing on a drive, with his face hitting the floor at high velocity. He appeared dazed, prompting the Spurs to call a timeout before he headed to the locker room. Backup center Luke Kornet replaced him in the lineup, and the Spurs confirmed he would miss the rest of the game, according to team officials. Wembanyama had played 12 minutes, scoring five points on 1-for-3 shooting, with one assist, four rebounds, one block and two turnovers. In Game 1 two days earlier, he posted 35 points on 13-for-21 shooting, including five of six from three-point range, in a 111-98 Spurs victory. On Monday, Wembanyama earned unanimous NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors and remains a finalist for Most Valuable Player. San Antonio outscored opponents by 15.2 points per 100 possessions with him on the court during the regular season. Spurs went 12-6 in the 18 games he missed. Kornet, a 7-foot-1 veteran, averaged 11.2 points, 3.2 assists, 10.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes in the regular season. Rookie Carter Bryant, at 6-foot-6 with a near-7-foot wingspan, filled in briefly at small-ball center. Veterans Bismack Biyombo, Mason Plumlee and Kelly Olynyk are also available. Under NBA concussion policy, Wembanyama must undergo neurological evaluation. If diagnosed, he faces at least 48 hours out and a stepwise return process supervised by team physicians and league officials.
