Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Ejected for Flagrant 2 Foul vs. Wolves’ Naz Reid During NBA Playoffs Game 4
The Minnesota Timberwolves entered Sunday’s Game 4 of their second-round series against the San Antonio Spurs facing a 2-1 deficit, but they got quite the break in their comeback efforts during the first half.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was ejected from the game in the second quarter thanks to a Flagrant 2 foul he committed. His swinging elbow hit Naz Reid in the chin, which drew an ejection.
He had to ask what a Flagrant 2 foul even meant:
The big man had a relatively quiet start to the game with four points and four rebounds in 12 minutes of action.
Every game in a seven-game series is critically important, but this ejection will be far more important than just Sunday’s contest if it results in a suspension. After all, the Spurs will still have home-court advantage even if they lose Game 4 on the road after stealing Game 3 in Minnesota.
They could easily bounce back in Game 5 at home if Wembanyama is on the floor and leading the way.
That could open the door for Minnesota to win two consecutive games without the star big man on the court, which would put it one home win away in Game 6 from advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the third consecutive year.
Of course, the NBA could also see an ejection in the first half as something of a one-game suspension on its own and decide that is punishment enough, which would clear the way for Wembanyama to return for Game 5.
That would be critical for the Spurs seeing how he is one of the best players in the league and the anchor of everything they do on both ends of the floor.
He captured the Defensive Player of the Year this season while averaging 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, a league-best 3.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from deep.
Wembanyama is a matchup nightmare and impossible to replace, although San Antonio will surely rely on Luke Kornet even more in the frontcourt after the ejection. Kornet will likely play more minutes in Game 5 as well if there is a suspension.
