Victor Wembanyama Suffers Concussion in Spurs’ Playoff Loss to Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after taking a hard fall during Tuesday night’s Game 2 playoff loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The incident occurred with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter when Wembanyama lost his footing following a spin move against Blazers guard Jrue Holiday and hit his head on the court. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson confirmed the diagnosis after the game, stating, “He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” and emphasized that the team would follow league guidelines for recovery and return-to-play procedures. Under NBA concussion protocol, a player must remain inactive for at least 48 hours and pass multiple symptom-free benchmarks before being cleared. This includes neurological testing and final approval from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director. Given the timeline, Game 3 on Friday in Portland appears unlikely for Wembanyama’s return, though Johnson declined to speculate on his status. The injury is a significant setback for San Antonio, which entered the playoffs with the league’s second-best record and relies heavily on Wembanyama, this year’s unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and MVP finalist. In his playoff debut two days earlier, Wembanyama scored 35 points before exiting Game 2 after just 12 minutes with five points, four rebounds, one assist, one block, and two turnovers. Backup center Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama in the lineup after his exit. The Spurs ultimately lost the game 106-103, allowing Portland to even the series at one game apiece. The Trail Blazers rallied from a 14-point deficit with over eight minutes left to secure the win, capitalizing on San Antonio’s absence of its star center. Wembanyama’s availability for future games will depend entirely on his progression through the concussion protocol, with no timetable provided by the team.
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