Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama won’t be suspended for Game 5 vs. Timberwolves after elbow to Naz Reid appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The second-round series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves took a major turn on Sunday night when San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama was ejected from Game 4. Wembanyama was handed a Flagrant 2 foul for elbowing Wolves big man Naz Reid in the neck.
Coming out of the game, which Minnesota won 114-109 to even the series at two games apiece, the threat of a Wembanyama suspension for a pivotal Game 5 loomed. Now, the NBA has made their final decision.
Wembanyama will not be suspended and will not face any further penalty for the incident, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. He will be available to play in Game 5 back in San Antonio on Tuesday night.
This decision confirms a report from ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel on Sunday night that the Spurs were not expecting any further punishment for the play.
The Spurs were nearly able to steal Game 4 on the road even without Wembanyama on the court, thanks to a big third-quarter run from Dylan Harper and the rest of the San Antonio backcourt. However, Anthony Edwards and the Wolves came up big in the fourth quarter to help Minnesota even things up.
Wembanyama played just 12 minutes before getting thrown out of Game 4, scoring four points and grabbing four rebounds in that time. It was a far cry from his epic performance in a Game 3 road win when he dropped 39 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks to reclaim home-court advantage for his team.
In these playoffs, Wembanyama is averaging 19.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per game, with those outlier Game 4 numbers factored in. He has been one of the most impactful players in the NBA this postseason just like he was in the regular season.
Now, with the series heading back to San Antonio for a critical Game 5, the Spurs will be back at full strength and trying to get back ahead in the series. Wembanyama will be a critical part of that pursuit with a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line.
Related: De’Aaron Fox is questionable for Spurs-Timberwolves Game 5
Related: Brian Windhorst slams Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s ‘immature’ act of ignorance
