Victor Wembanyama ejected for flagrant‑2 elbow on Naz Reid in Game 4
- Victor Wembanyama was ejected early in Game 4 after a flagrant-2 elbow to Naz Reid’s throat, and Minnesota beat San Antonio 114-109. - Anthony Edwards scored 36 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, as the Timberwolves erased the Spurs’ edge and knotted the series 2-2. - What looked like San Antonio control is gone now — Game 5 on May 12 is the real pivot.
A playoff game turned on one ugly second-quarter swing. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio’s best player and the center of this whole Spurs-Timberwolves series, got tossed in Game 4 after driving an elbow into Naz Reid’s throat. Minnesota took the opening and ran with it, winning 114-109 on May 10 in Minneapolis and evening the Western Conference semifinal 2-2. That matters because San Antonio had grabbed the series’ momentum in Game 3 — and now the whole thing feels reset. ### What exactly happened? The play came early in the second quarter with 8:39 left. Reid was boxing out after a rebound, Wembanyama got tangled up, then swung his left elbow upward and caught Reid in the neck/throat area. Officials reviewed it and upgraded the foul to a flagrant 2, which means automatic ejection. It was the first ejection of Wembanyama’s career. (nba.com) ### Why was it ruled that harshly? A flagrant 2 is for unnecessary and excessive contact — basically, the refs decided this was more than a hard playoff foul. The key wasn’t just that Reid got hit. It was where and how he got hit: high, forceful contact to the throat area on a non-basketball motion. In a regular-season game or a playoff game, that usually leaves officials very little room. (heavy.com) ### Did the game flip right there? Not instantly, which is part of why this was such a real test for both teams. Minnesota led only 36-34 when Wembanyama was ejected, and San Antonio stayed dangerous all night. But losing Wembanyama stripped the Spurs of their rim protection, their bailout scorer, and the weird geometry he creates just by standing near the paint. The Wolves didn’t blow the game open right away — they wore San Antonio down. (nba.com) ### Who took over for Minnesota? Anthony Edwards did what stars are supposed to do when a game gets messy — he simplified it. He finished with 36 points, and 16 of them came in the fourth quarter. That last part is the story. Minnesota had the talent edge once Wembanyama left, but Edwards made sure that edge turned into an actual win instead of a weird missed opportunity. (heavy.com) ### Why does Wembanyama matter this much? Because he changes both ends at once. Even in this series loss in Game 1, he had a 12-block triple-double and set an NBA playoff record for blocks in a game. Minnesota had already been dealing with his length around the rim and the way he warps shot selection. Take that out in the second quarter, and the Spurs become much more normal — still good, but not terrifying in the same way. (nba.com) ### Was the series really tilting toward San Antonio? Pretty clearly, yes. Minnesota stole Game 1 in San Antonio, but the Spurs blasted the Wolves in Game 2, then won Game 3 in Minneapolis to go up 2-1. That put pressure on the Wolves to avoid a 3-1 hole. Instead, they got the split they needed and turned this into a best-of-three. (espn.com) ### So what changes now? Game 5 on Tuesday, May 12, is suddenly the hinge. San Antonio still has home court, but the emotional edge it built is gone. Minnesota proved it can survive this matchup when Edwards owns the late game, and San Antonio now has to answer the bigger question — not just how to win, but how to keep its biggest advantage on the floor. (nba.com) ### Bottom line This wasn’t just a bad moment from Wembanyama. It was the kind of playoff mistake that can bend a series. One elbow changed one game — and maybe the shape of the next three. (nba.com)
