The San Antonio Spurs got a tough break when Victor Wembanyama left Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers with a head injury. What started as a tense playoff game quickly turned into a bigger concern for the Spurs, because their biggest star was forced out before the night was over.
Portland then rallied to beat San Antonio 106-103 and even the series at 1-1.
Wembanyamaâs injury update
The Spurs received a worrying update after Wembanyama was officially diagnosed with a concussion. NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news, stating, “San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with a concussion and will have further testing on Wednesday.”
This confirms that the injury is serious and will need careful monitoring over the next few days.
Charania also explained the strict process Wembanyama must now follow before returning. He added, “Per NBA guidelines, Wembanyama must now have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery, then hit several benchmarks while being symptom-free before he is cleared to play.”
He further noted, “He’ll then require clearance from a team doctor in consultation with a league protocol director.”
What it means for the Spurs
Forââââââââââââââââ San Antonio, it is a real worry issue as Wembanyama is not only their offense but also their defense. Without a doubt, if he can’t play, then other players might find themselves under more stress at a very unfavorable time as the series stands now 1-1.
Spurs’ next game is Friday, April 24, in Portland while the team will be keeping a close eye on his recovery during the next couple of ââââââââââââââââdays.
Closing issues cost San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs performed well enough to maintain control over large parts of the game, though their finishing was not sharp. San Antonio only made 44% of their shots, and 3-pointers were very scarce at 29%, plus they committed 16 turnovers giving Portland fresh opportunities in the dying moments.
Stephon Castle was the Spurs’ top scorer with 18 points, Devin Vassell pulled down 12 rebounds and Castle had 5 assists, however, the offense did not have a reliable standout player when the game got tough.
In Portland, the player responsible for the difference in the outcome was Scoot Henderson who scored 31 points and made 11 out of 17 shots, while the Blazers also have Jrue Holiday and Deni Avdija playing very well.
My view is that this defeat exposed a more significant issue than just one player being injured. The Spurs were strong enough to win the game early on through momentum, but their decision-making in the final moments was weak and Portland took full advantage of the Spurs’ mistakes. That is the thing San Antonio will be most unhappy about: the offense when under pressure became too predictable and the gap quickly disappeared. ââââââââââââââââ
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