In a dramatic turn of events, Scoot Henderson led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 106-103 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, tying their Western Conference playoff series at one game each. The Spurs' star player, Victor Wembanyama, suffered a concussion after a foul by Jrue Holiday in the second quarter, which saw him crash to the floor face-first. As a result, Wembanyama has entered the NBA's concussion protocol, putting his participation in the upcoming games in jeopardy.
According to the league's guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must undergo at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery, followed by a series of neurological tests and a final clearance from a team doctor. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stated, 'He has a concussion. He's in the protocol. We'll take the proper and appropriate steps.' The Trail Blazers capitalized on Wembanyama's absence, overcoming a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to secure the win with an 11-2 run in the final minutes.
Robert Williams III's alley-oop dunk with 12 seconds left sealed the deal for Portland. In other playoff news, the Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-0 lead in their series against the Houston Rockets, thanks to LeBron James' 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. The Philadelphia 76ers also evened their series against the Boston Celtics with a 111-97 win, led by VJ Edgecombe's 30 points and 10 rebounds.