Things got heated in Game 3 of the West Semifinals when Spurs star Victor Wembanyama threw his elbow into the face of Timberwolves center Naz Reid. It was a tough hit and a very reckless play by Wembanyama, who was subsequently thrown out of the game.
After the game, it wasn’t enough that Victor was simply thrown out and was forced to watch his team lose. Critics began calling for a harsher punishment, including a suspension for illegally hitting his opponent in the face. Reid, however, was relieved to learn that Wembanyama would not be suspended for Game 4.
“I’m happy,” said Reid. “I just want to be able to play a full, healthy team, to get a chance to compete against them at full capacity, and make things in our favor. I don’t really care, I just want to hoop. I’m sure he wants to hope. It’s the playoffs, so I’m sure everybody on the team has that same mindset.”
It was a grizzly scene in Minneapolis as the French star seemingly lost his cool at the worst possible moment. While there was no way to know whether the Spurs would have won, his absence left them vulnerable in the frontcourt, and Minnesota took full advantage, cruising to an 114-109 victory. The aftermath was even more strange, as you could see the 7’5″ big man asking his teammates for clarification.
It’s unclear what prompted Victor to act as he did, but it was likely just a lapse in judgment stemming from mounting frustration. Defensively, the Wolves have been hounding him in the series, and he might have just reached his breaking point. Either way, it was a poor decision, and the officials eventually ruled it a flagrant two. He left the game with four points, four rebounds, and one assist in just 12 minutes of play. The Spurs, who came in as the favorites, began to show some signs of panic and even called in Gregg Popovich ahead of Game 5.
For Victor, this whole series has been a strange ride, but he’s weathered it well. Ahead of Game 1, it was Anthony Edwards who was compromised in the series while the Spurs team had all the momentum. The star shooting guard was still recovering from a bone bruise at the time, but Wembanyama did not take the opportunity to celebrate the clear advantage. Instead, he paid his respects to Edwards and expressed disappointment that his top competition might not be playing.
Now, with the positions reversed, it’s the Timerwolves who are showing respect. As the man in the thick of the action, it would have been all too easy for Naz Reid to lash out and condemn the NBA for not suspending Victor. Yet, instead of coming down hard on the young big man, he celebrated his return just like Victor did for his team. He wants the Spurs at their best, and that means Victor on the floor, dominating as always.
That competitive spirit is one of the biggest reasons this series has been among the best in the playoffs so far. Now, with each team splitting the first four games, the stage is set for an epic conclusion that could decide the fate of the Western Conference. Of course, any path to the Finals goes through the Thunder, who are already waiting in the next round. But before either team can worry about OKC, they must take care of business in this series first. With both sides nearly healthy and at full strength, there is no excuse for failure, and it only makes what happens next that much more interesting.
