San Antonio Spurs breathe easy: NBA does NOT sanction Victor Wembanyama after his elbow

Victor Wembanyama will be able to play in the fifth game of the series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves after the NBA decided not to impose any additional penalty following his ejection in the fourth game.

The French star was expelled during San Antonio's 114-109 loss last Sunday after elbowing Naz Reid in an action under the hoop. Reid and his teammate Jaden McDaniels were pressuring Wembanyama after an offensive rebound by the Spurs' center following a missed three-pointer.

Initially, the referees called an offensive foul, but after reviewing the play on video, referee Zach Zarba announced that the action was upgraded to a flagrant foul type 2 for excessive contact above the neck. The blow hit Reid's right jaw and neck area, causing him to fall to the ground after turning from the impact.

The sanction led to Wembanyama's automatic ejection, who left the game with still 8:39 remaining in the second quarter. According to ESPN Stats & Info, this is the earliest ejection of an All-Star in a playoff game since detailed play-by-play records have been kept, starting from the 1997-98 season.

The Clear Statistics

Statistics also do not favor teams losing one of their stars in the postseason: teams with an expelled All-Star before the final quarter now have a record of just one win and eight losses.

Following Minnesota's victory in the fourth game, the Western Conference semifinal is now tied 2-2 and will return to San Antonio for the decisive fifth game.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, San Antonio Spurs respira: La NBA NO sanciona a Victor Wembanyama tras su codazo