San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will be on the floor Tuesday, May 12, for a pivotal Game 5 of an NBA second-round playoff series.
The Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves stand tied at two games apiece. The winner of Tuesday’s game will move within one game of a berth in the Western Conference Finals.
MORE: Naz Reid issues defiant statement after taking an elbow from Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama’s participation in Game 5 was in doubt after he was ejected early in the second quarter of Game 4. The 7-foot-4 center threw an elbow that knocked Timberwolves center Naz Reid to the court.
But on Monday, the NBA opted not to suspend or fine Wembanyama for his action.
That angered ESPN NBA analyst and former player Kendrick Perkins, who shared his thoughts on “Get Up.”
“Victor Wembanyama should have been suspended for tonight’s game. Real talk,” Perkins said. “This man looked him in the eyes and lined him up and threw a malicious elbow, a vicious elbow. You know what [Commissioner] Adam Silver and the NBA said to the rest of the league? We prioritize stardom and views over the health of our players.
“This about protecting the brand, not the names on the back of the jersey.”
Enough punishment for Wemby?
Wembanyama scored 39 points and pulled down 15 rebounds in Game 3, a 115-108 Spurs triumph. In Game 4, Wembanyama managed four points and four rebounds before his ejection, and the Timberwolves rolled to a 114-109 victory. He averaged 25 points and 11.5 rebounds during the regular season. Wembanyama recorded a league-high 3.1 blocks per game and earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors.
In opposition to Perkins, many NBA analysts — and the Spurs themselves — argued that Wembanyama’s absence for the majority of Game 4 was punishment enough. San Antonio asserted that Wembanyama endures extremely physical play from opponents.
“I’m glad (Wembanyama) took matters into his own hands,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said, per The Athletic. “Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid, by all means (I’m) being very clear about that. I’m glad Naz Reid is OK, and I didn’t want him to elbow him. But he’s going to have to protect himself if they’re not. And I think it’s disgusting.”
Meanwhile, Reid is expected to play in Game 5 as well after suffering an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of Game 4.
Finally, the Timberwolves and Spurs meet at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday on NBC and Peacock.
