San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is expected to play in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday after the NBA elected to impose no further discipline for his elbow in Game 4, ESPN reported Monday.
Wembanyama connected on an elbow to the face of the Timberwolves’ Naz Reid in the second quarter of an eventual 114-109 loss on Sunday, and was ejected after officials reviewed the incident on replay.
Wembanyama grabbed a rebound and was trying to protect the ball from two Timberwolves players. He then turned and unleashed a vicious right elbow into the chin of Reid and was called for a foul with 8:39 left in the first half.
“I just think that with the physicality they try to play against him, at some point you’re going to have to protect yourself,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him.”
Referees upgraded the foul to a flagrant 2, which is an automatic ejection.
“After review, there was windup, impact and follow-through above the neck of an opponent,” head official Zach Zarba announced. “It was unnecessary and excessive contact by Wembanyama and it meets all the criteria and it has been upgraded to a flagrant foul penalty 2. Wembanyama has been ejected.”
The Spurs trailed 36-34 at the time of the ejection, and Reid proceeded to make both his foul shots for a four-point lead. Wembanyama had four points, four rebounds and no blocks in 12-plus minutes.
Minnesota pulled away for the victory by outscoring San Antonio 34-25 in the fourth quarter when they shot 52.2% from the floor.
Afterward, Reid wore his sore chin as a badge of honor.
“Pain is weakness leaving the body, that’s it,” said Reid, who finished with 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench in 31 minutes.
