San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama ejected for flagrant 2
San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama ejected for flagrant 2 originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The San Antonio Spurs suffered a major blow in Sunday’s Game 4 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves when star center Victor Wembanyama was ejected in the second quarter after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul.
The incident occurred with just under nine minutes remaining before halftime during an increasingly physical contest between the two Western Conference rivals. Wembanyama secured a defensive rebound over Minnesota forward Naz Reid before becoming entangled with Reid and Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels underneath the basket. As Wembanyama gathered the ball and attempted to turn up the floor, he appeared frustrated by the contact surrounding him.
Moments later, the Spurs star looked over his shoulder and swung his elbow backward, striking Reid in the throat. Reid immediately fell to the court as officials stopped play to review the sequence. Following a lengthy replay review, referees upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2 and ejected Wembanyama from the game, sending the Minneapolis crowd into a frenzy.
The ejection marked one of the biggest turning points of the series and left San Antonio without its centerpiece for the remainder of the contest. Before his exit, Wembanyama had been battling Minnesota’s physical frontcourt throughout the opening half. The Timberwolves consistently crowded the 7-foot-4 superstar with aggressive double teams and hard contact in the paint, attempting to disrupt his rhythm offensively.
Spurs riding momentum from Game 3 The Spurs entered Game 4 with momentum after Wembanyama delivered one of the best playoff performances of his young career in Game 3. The San Antonio star exploded for 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in the Spurs’ 115-108 victory, helping his team take a 2-1 series lead. Naz Reid remained in the game after briefly being evaluated and continued providing energy for Minnesota on both ends of the floor.