Victor Wembanyama earns the 1st ejection of his career for a flagrant foul on Timberwolves big Naz Reid early in Game 4.
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was ejected for throwing an elbow at the throat of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid early in the second quarter of Game 4 of their rugged Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday night.
Wembanyama was whistled for an offensive foul as soon as he struck Reid, who had swarmed the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year outside the paint along with teammate Jaden McDaniels after the 7-foot-4 Spurs center rebounded a missed 3-pointer.
After a video review of the play, with the fans at Target Center chanting, “Kick him out! Kick him out!,” the foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 for excessive contact above the neck.
That penalty triggers an automatic ejection, immediately swinging the balance of a pivotal game in the series toward the Timberwolves.
When the penalty was announced, Wembanyama appeared to ask teammate Harrison Barnes: “What does that mean?”
After he slapped hands with each of his Spurs teammates on his way off the floor, with the arena sound system blaring Michael Jackson’s “Beat it!,” Reid sank both free throws to give the Timberwolves a 38-34 lead.
Wembanyama finished with four points, four rebounds and three fouls in 13 minutes of the 114-109 loss.
With Reid, Julius Randle and McDaniels in their frontcourt, the Timberwolves had plenty of muscle and tenacity to send at Wembanyama, even if he’s been good enough offensively to overcome it. He had 39 points on 13-for-18 shooting from the floor in Game 3.
