Wembanyama ejected in Game 4 — Spurs and Wolves now tied 2‑2

The Spurs-Timberwolves series turned on one violent little sequence. Minnesota beat San Antonio 114-109 in Game 4 on Sunday night, evening the Western Conference semifinal at 2-2, but the thing everyone will remember is Victor Wembanyama getting tossed in the second quarter after a Flagrant 2 on Naz Reid. That changed the game immediately. It also changed the feel of the series heading into Game 5. ### What exactly happened? With 8:39 left in the second quarter, Wembanyama and Reid were battling for rebounding position when Wembanyama swung an elbow that caught Reid high in the throat and jaw area. Officials reviewed it, upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2, and ejected Wembanyama — the first ejection of his NBA career. He left with four points, four rebounds, three fouls, and 13 minutes played. (nba.com) ### Why was the call so big? Because this was not some late-game cameo from a role player. Wembanyama is the Spurs’ defensive backbone and their most distortive piece on both ends. When he went out, San Antonio lost rim protection, lost size, and lost the one player Minnesota has to organize its whole offense around. The Wolves didn’t run away instantly, but the geometry of the game changed. (wtop.com) ### Did the Spurs still have a chance? Yes — and that’s what makes the finish sting. San Antonio actually led 106-98 with under 4 minutes left, so this was not a simple “Wemby got ejected and the game was over” story. Minnesota closed on a 16-3 burst, with Anthony Edwards driving the late offense and the Wolves making the cleaner plays in the final possessions. The ejection mattered early, but the collapse at the end sealed it. (nba.com) ### Why was Naz Reid central to it? Reid is exactly the kind of player who makes this matchup nasty. He’s strong, mobile, and comfortable dragging big defenders into physical possessions. Minnesota already had Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels throwing size and contact at San Antonio’s front line, and Reid’s presence added another body the Wolves could use to wear Wembanyama down. The foul happened inside that broader wrestling match. (nba.com) ### Was the Flagrant 2 obvious? The league and most straight game coverage treated it as justified because of the contact point and the force. But this is where playoff basketball gets messy — intent is hard to read in real time, and fans almost always split between “reckless but basketball play” and “automatic ejection.” Turns out the more important thing isn’t the online argument. It’s that the officials saw enough dangerous contact to remove the Spurs’ best player before halftime. (nba.com) ### What changes for Game 5? Everything tightens. The series goes back to San Antonio on Tuesday night as a best-of-three, and now both teams have a fresh template. Minnesota knows it can survive the Spurs’ size and win ugly late. San Antonio knows it let a 3-1 edge slip and can’t afford another emotional detour. If there’s a suspension question, that becomes part of the pregame noise too, though the main fact right now is the 2-2 reset. (nba.com) ### So what’s the real takeaway? This stopped being just a fun young-team series. It’s a pressure series now. Wembanyama’s ejection gave Minnesota life, the Wolves grabbed it, and the next game will be played under a much harsher light. One whistle changed Sunday. The response to it will shape Tuesday. (nba.com)