The Portland Trail Blazers tied their first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs 1-1 after winning Game 2 on Tuesday.
The Blazers earned an advantage early in the second quarter after Victor Wembanyama suffered an injury. Wembanyama was ruled out for the rest of the game after hitting his head on the floor.
Jrue Holiday was his primary defender during the play, seemingly “pulling the chair” on Wemby, who tried to go for a spin move. The Spurs superstar was later diagnosed with a concussion and was put under the league’s concussion protocol, as reported by ESPN.
Holiday Absolves Himself From Wemby’s Injury
GettyVictor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs holds his head after falling to the court against the Portland Trailblazers in the first half of Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on April 21, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
Speaking to the media after the Blazers’ 106-103 win, Holiday was asked about what happened during the play against Wembanyama. The defensive guard thought that he should not have been called for a foul since he didn’t touch the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
“I got the foul call,” Holiday said, via ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “I didn’t think I touched him, but I don’t really know. After they called the foul, I went to complain to the ref. I didn’t really see (Wembanyama’s fall).”
It seemed like there was nothing malicious from Holiday’s defense since “pulling the chair” is one of the oldest tricks in the books. Wemby suffered a freak accident that nobody wanted to happen.
Due to his injury, Wembanyama is likely questionable to play in Game 3 on Friday. The series now shifts back to the Moda Center in Portland.
Holiday, Scoot Henderson Came Up Big for Blazers
GettyRobert Williams III #35, Jrue Holiday #5 and Scott Henderson #00 of the Portland Trailblazers reacts late in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs of Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on April 21, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
With Wembanyama out for the rest of the game, the Spurs relied on Luke Kornet as their center. Stephon Castle struggled with his shot, finishing with 18 points on 20 shots, while De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points.
The Spurs were up by 14 points in the fourth quarter, but Scoot Henderson led the comeback. Henderson had a game-high 31 points on 11-for-17 shooting, while Holiday provided 16 points, five rebounds and nine assists.
With Portland down by four points with less than three minutes remaining, Henderson hit a clutch 3-point shot to cut it down to a single deficit. Holiday got the block on Castle and made a putback layup on the other end to give the Blazers a 102-101 lead at the 2:02 mark.
After a Robert Williams III dunk and two free throws by Toumani Camara, the Blazers pulled out the upset victory and stole homecourt advantage.
Wembanyama’s Injury Explained
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Wembanyama is required to take a rest from any basketball activities for 48 hours under the NBA’s concussion protocol. He could resume some activities after 24 hours if he doesn’t show any symptoms or if his current symptoms don’t worsen.
Wembanyama will also have to clear some benchmarks under the league’s guidelines when dealing with concussions. He has to symptom-free in order to get clearance from the NBA, as well as the Spurs’ team doctor.
There are three days between Game 2 and 3, so the Spurs have a bit of leeway. However, Wemby appeared to have lost consciousness for a brief second after the fall and was dazed when he tried to stand.
The Spurs have one of the best medical teams in the NBA, so they are expected to be very cautious with their prized superstar.
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