The San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves are delivering what seems to be the most keenly contested series so far in the second round. While other second-round matchups have been one-sided, this battle has stayed tight and physical, tied at 2-2 after Minnesota’s 114-109 victory in Game 4 on Sunday.
The prize at stake is a conference finals ticket and while the Spurs entered as favorites, the Timberwolves are aiming for a third consecutive appearance.
Game 5 is next in San Antonio and the biggest headline is that Spurs superstar center Victor Wembanyama will be available for selection. It wasn’t an injury situation that would have kept him out, but rather a controversial call that happened on Sunday.
Green Positions Himself as the League’s Scapegoat Following Wembanyama’s Judgement
In Game 3, Wembanyama was ejected early in the second quarter for elbowing Timberwolves forward Naz Reid in the neck area while battling for a rebound. It was initially called for a foul but later upgraded to a Flagrant 2 which meant the French superstar was handed the automatic ejection hammer blow.
GettyDe’Aaron Fox alongside Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama, who came into the game on the back of a 39-point performance in Game 3, only saw 12 minutes of action. After the game, attention turned to the league to see if his punishment would go beyond an ejection. However, the 7-foot-4 superstar was only handed a slap to the wrist.
After review, the NBA announced Monday that Wembanyama will face no further discipline which in essence meant no suspension or fine. He is now eligible for Game 5 on Tuesday at home court.
This decision didn’t sit well with many NBA enthusiasts and even players who have faced the NBA punishment hammer. Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green quickly weighed in on social media to express his disgust over the league’s decision not to punish Wembanyama.
Green quote-tweeted a post on X asking, how many games would be on the asking if Green were in Wembayama’s shoes for the same offense.
“Y’all have called for my career for less,” Green wrote.
Green’s frustration is coming from a place of being the poster child for punishment by the NBA, while emerging superstars like the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama receive more leniency for almost similar offences.
Green is no stranger to altercations in his 13-year career, from flagrant fouls to striking opponents which have spilled into fines and suspensions. He is up there on the NBA’s all-time ejections list.
Green has made peace with his label but is arguing inconsistencies with the latest verdict on the San Antonio superstar. Although a case may be made that Wembanyama’s action did not escalate into a broader altercation.
Wembanyama’s Effect In Full Play
GettySan Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama
This was Wembanyama’s first-ever ejection in his career. Perhaps that played a role in the league’s decision not to punish him further. The Frenchman is not known for being a dirty player, or at least hasn’t shown that side in his game.
The short end of the stick is for the Timberwolves who took control of Game 4 as soon as Wembanyama was off the floor. Anthony Edwards scored 36, more than double any other player managed for Minnesota. But they won’t have that pleasure in Game 5.
The decision not to suspend Wembanyama keeps the series on track without the disruption of a key player missing time, though it fuels debates about superstar treatment.
Draymond Green Has Blunt Reaction to NBA’s Victor Wembanyama Decision