Portland's rally in Game 2 came at a heavy cost for San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs' star center and the NBA's newly crowned defensive player of the year, was sidelined after a hard fall that left him in concussion protocol following a 106-103 loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
The injury occurred with 8:57 left in the second quarter when Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday while navigating the paint. Unable to catch himself, he tumbled forward and struck his jaw against the court. He sat up briefly, spoke with teammate Stephon Castle, and after a timeout from coach Mitch Johnson, walked to the locker room.
Wembanyama had logged just 12 minutes, collecting five points, four rebounds, one block and one assist before departing. A Spurs official said a final determination on his status could come within 24 hours, though league protocol demands at least 48 hours of inactivity and rest followed by symptom-free neurological testing and physician clearance before any player can return.
The timing is brutal for a San Antonio team making its first playoff appearance since 2019. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman carried the regular season on his shoulders, averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-leading 3.1 blocks. He was just named the NBA's defensive player of the year on Monday, becoming the first unanimous winner at age 22. He'd exploded for 35 points in the Spurs' Game 1 victory.
Without him Tuesday, San Antonio still dominated early, pushing a 14-point advantage into the fourth quarter. But the offense evaporated down the stretch. The Spurs managed zero field goals over the final 3:37 while Portland stormed back with an 11-2 finish.
Scoot Henderson carried the Trail Blazers with 31 points. Jrue Holiday added 16 points and nine assists. Deni Avdija chipped in 14, and Robert Williams III, with an alley-oop dunk in the final 12 seconds, pushed Portland to a 104-101 lead on the way to evening the series at a game apiece.
For the Spurs, Stephon Castle led with 18 points. DeAaron Fox scored 17 and Devin Vassell finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn't enough without their centerpiece on the floor.
The series heads to Portland for Game 3 on Friday.
Author James Rodriguez: "Losing your best player in the playoffs is nightmare fuel for any franchise, but the way the Spurs' fourth quarter collapsed without Wembanyama shows just how dependent San Antonio has become on one generational talent."
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