Victor Wembanyama will be suiting up for Game 5.
According to The Athletic, the San Antonio Spurs star was ejected in the first-half ejection in Game 4 after a Flagrant 2 foul for an elbow to the head of Naz Reid. Speculation swirled regarding a potential multi-game absence for the Defensive Player of the Year.
However, league officials determined that the automatic ejection served as sufficient punishment. The league ruled out any additional suspension or substantial fines. With the Western Conference Semifinals now knotted at 2-2, the league’s decision ensures that the Spurs will have their cornerstone on the floor Tuesday night in San Antonio, keeping the momentum of this high-stakes series firmly up for grabs.
Following the game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson came out in defense of Wembanyama.
“Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose the physicality on you. I get it. We get it. That’s part of the game,” Johnson said. “But at some stage, he’s got chucked, he’s gotten pushed down in transition, running freely, all the stuff.”
“He doesn’t complain one time. We don’t complain because we’re just going to play. We don’t really give a s—, excuse my language. But at some stage, he should be protected,” he continued. “And if not, he’s going to have to protect himself and, unfortunately, stuff like that happens.”
“You could see the frustration (from him),” Dylan Harper said. “I could see where he’s coming from. And I don’t think it was intentional, but it was more like, they kept grabbing me. I’m trying to protect myself, cause no one else (is) going to protect me.”
GAME 5
Heading into the pivotal Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wembanyama is averaging approximately 19.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game. His defensive impact has been particularly staggering; he opened the semifinals with a dominant 12-block performance in Game 1 and followed it up with a historic 39-point, 15-rebound, 5-block masterpiece in Game 3.
The San Antonio Spurs are set to host the Minnesota Timberwolves for a high-stakes Game 5 on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
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