Wemby exits with concussion

Victor Wembanyama is in the National Basketball Association’s concussion protocol after a second-quarter fall ended his Game 2 early and changed San Antonio’s series with Portland. (nba.com) The Spurs said Wembanyama was fouled by Portland guard Jrue Holiday, lost his footing in the lane and hit the floor hard with 8:57 left in the second quarter on April 21. He had five points and four rebounds in 12 minutes before leaving for the locker room. (nba.com) Portland erased a 15-point deficit after Wembanyama exited and won 106-103 behind 31 points from Scoot Henderson, tying the Western Conference first-round series at 1-1. Game 3 is the next immediate checkpoint for his status. (espn.com) (sports.yahoo.com) The National Basketball Association’s concussion protocol is a step-by-step return-to-play process, not a same-night decision, and players must clear evaluation before they can practice or play again. ESPN reported Wembanyama entered that protocol after the game. (espn.com) That puts unusual weight on one injury in a series that had opened with Wembanyama setting a Spurs playoff-debut record with 35 points in Game 1. San Antonio entered the matchup as the No. 2 seed, and Portland was the No. 7 seed. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Wembanyama’s role is not limited to scoring. NBA.com’s Game 2 roundup tied Portland’s comeback directly to his absence, and the league’s own playoff coverage highlighted how his status reshapes San Antonio’s outlook in the series. (nba.com) (espn.com) The Spurs have not, in the reports available Wednesday and early Thursday, put a timetable on his return beyond the protocol itself. The next update that matters is whether he can progress in time for Game 3. (espn.com) (sports.yahoo.com)