The Portland Trail Blazers capitalized on an injury to San Antonio Spurs' star Victor Wembanyama, securing a 106-103 win to tie their Western Conference playoff series at one game each. Wembanyama fell face-first after being fouled by Jrue Holiday in the second quarter, hitting his jaw on the floor, and subsequently entered the NBA's concussion protocol. This development raises concerns that the 7ft 4in center might miss multiple games, with the next matchup between the Spurs and Trail Blazers scheduled for Friday.
According to league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must undergo at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery, followed by neurological testing and clearance from a team doctor and the league's concussion protocol director. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated, 'He has a concussion. He's in the protocol. We'll take the proper and appropriate steps.' The Spurs initially seemed capable of winning without Wembanyama, building a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter before their offense stalled.
However, Portland held San Antonio scoreless for the final three and a half minutes, closing the game with an 11-2 run. Robert Williams III's alley-oop dunk with 12 seconds left gave Portland a 104-101 lead. In other playoff news, LeBron James led the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-94 victory over the Houston Rockets, giving them a 2-0 series lead.
The Philadelphia 76ers also tied their series against the Boston Celtics with a 111-97 win, thanks in part to VJ Edgecombe's 30 points and 10 rebounds.