Spurs lose Victor Wembanyama — and control — as Blazers even series
SAN ANTONIO — “Whatever we do, we gonna do this s*** together! ” – Keldon Johnson A few minutes before tipoff of Game 2 against the Trail Blazers, the entire Spurs team and coaching staff formed a huddle near half-court, with the backdrop of adoring fans, cheering and congratulating Victor Wembanyama on his first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award. Roughly 30 minutes later, with a little over a quarter of basketball played, that same huddle formed, only this time off the basis of confusion, trepidation and angst.
Moments earlier, Wembanyama, in an attempt to drive to the basket while being defended by Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, got his feet tangled up and hit the ground — the velocity so high that his face planted directly into the floor before briefly bouncing off the surface. For a moment, Wembanyama lay motionless on the ground before resting against the stanchion in an attempt to gather himself. In some ways, the Spurs’ hopes and dreams laid there with him.
He would later be followed to the locker room after leaving on his own power before being officially ruled out with a concussion and entered into protocol. Per NBA rules, there is a 48-hour mandatory recovery period from the onset of a concussion before a player can be evaluated by a team physician or athletic trainer for a return to action. Right then and there, San Antonio’s unspoken horrors manifested: the worst-case scenario of Portland’s physicality, a game plan in need of a major audible and an unknown postseason territory without Wembanyama.
“Give a lot of credit to Portland, the staff, the game plan and their players,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said following San Antonio’s 106-103 loss . “There was a level of fatigue there that kicked in, in terms of the intensity of the game and the output in minutes the guys had to play. And that’s a playoff game.
That’s what it’s gonna feel like. ” Victor Wembanyama's scary fall shifted the tone of the night and left the Spurs staring at an uncertain series. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters To the Spurs’ credit, even without Wembanyama, there was an admirable effort on the defensive end of the floor.
Continue to the original source for the full article.