In what comes as good news for the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama did light cardio on Wednesday evening without his concussion symptoms worsening after his scary fall during Game 2 of the playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Footage of the Spurs’ mainstay, knocked out cold for a few seconds, was a devastating sight when Wembanyama slammed his head into the hardwood. While his concussion protocol continues, the focus has moved to his status for Game 3 at the Moda Center.
Victor Wembanyama’s Availability Status For Game 3 Against the Portland Trail Blazers
At the time of writing, Wembanyama’s status for Game 3 remains uncertain, and quite frankly, a long shot. The light activity he did was one of the early steps needed under the league’s return-to-play conditions after a player suffers a concussion.
ESPN insider Shams Charania had an update when talking on “Inside the NBA“: “I’m told Victor Wembanyama was able to participate in cardio work late Wednesday because his symptoms didn’t worsen.”
“He wasn’t feeling worse than he did when he suffered that concussion, and as of right now, my understanding is he is hopeful that he’ll be able to travel with the team to Portland on Thursday,” he said.
Further adding to the potential return timeline was analyst Kevin O’Connor. “The average NBA recovery time for a concussion is 7-10 days. 7 days would be Game 5. 10 days would be Game 7,” he wrote in his earlier post on X (formerly Twitter).
It is yet to be ascertained how long Wembanyama might be sidelined. NBA rules say a player will not be able to return for at least 48 hours after a concussion. He will be required to follow a return-to-action process and be cleared by the team’s medical personnel. Players are allowed to participate in certain activities after the first 24 hours.
What comes as an encouraging sign for the Spurs is the newly minted Defensive Player of the Year appearing to be in better condition after the tumble. However, he will have to undergo the mandatory set of protocols before lacing up for the side again.
In Game 2, Wembanyama was attempting to make his way to the basket while he was being defended by Blazers guard Jrue Holiday. In the process, the center was fouled, and he lost his balance, hitting his face on the floor. It was a tense few seconds when he remained on the ground for a few seconds.
He tried to get up, but appeared to be dazed while teammates began checking in on him. Wembanyama later got up and ran to the locker room for more evaluation. He was placed under concussion protocol and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. His absence was felt with the Blazers pulling off a 106-103 win to even the series.
Much of how the Spurs fare with Wembanyama remains to be seen. Should he miss extended time, there is every possibility that the Blazers could shift the outcome of the series.
