San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama escapes playoff suspension after ejection

[p]The 22-year-old French star was tossed from the game for elbowing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/reid-naz/zDWvtXt5/"]Naz Reid[/a] during the Spurs' loss to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a], who went on to tie the series 2-2.[/p][p]As is customary with a Flagrant 2 level foul, the NBA reviewed the play on Monday and decided not to impose any penalty.[/p][p]It was the first time in his career that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wembanyama-victor/jFmM1MFl/"]Wembanyama[/a] has been ejected -- and when officials announced the flagrant foul level two penalty, he had to ask teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barnes-harrison/4O4aATE8/"]Harrison Barnes[/a] what it meant.[/p][p]The Timberwolves were up 36-34 with 8:39 left in the second quarter when Wembanyama grabbed an offensive rebound and found himself battling Minnesota's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcdaniels-jaden/0pp52ftg/"]Jaden McDaniels[/a] and Reid.[/p][embed guid="8ef74409-7b55-4ea2-b45d-f8390607beb5" url="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/2053875284273721459" social-type="twitter" /][p]McDaniels collided with Wembanyama, who spun to his right with his elbow raised, jabbing it backwards and striking Reid hard on the jaw.[/p][p]He was immediately whistled for a foul, and officials determined after review that it rose to the level of a flagrant two, with unnecessary and excessive contact, which is automatic ejection.[/p][p]When he realised he'd been tossed, Wembanyama made a point of high-fiving all of his teammates as he left the court.[/p][p]Even without him, the second-seeded Spurs had an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter before the Timberwolves rallied for a win that levelled the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.[/p][p]Wembanyama, who had dazzled with 39 points in the Spurs' game three victory on Friday, had four points and four rebounds before his sudden exit.[/p][p]Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said he didn't believe Wembanyama threw his elbow on purpose but was reacting to the physical challenge from the Timberwolves players.[/p][p]He said the 7-foot, 4-inch (2.24m) Wembanyama absorbs aggressive physical contact game after game, with no calls from officials.[/p][embed guid="8380ec0c-e75b-4363-8a0b-1a150951b417" url="https://x.com/UnderdogNBA/status/2053632279893713194" social-type="twitter" /][p]"[b]The amount of physicality that people play with him, at some level you have to protect yourself[/b]," Johnson said. "[b]Every single play on every single part of the floor people are trying to impose their physicality on him[/b].[/p][p]"[b]I get it, we get it, that's part of the game[/b]," Johnson said. "[b]He doesn't complain one time. We don't complain ... but at some stage he should be protected and if not, he's going to have to protect himself[/b].[/p][p]"[b]And unfortunate stuff like that happens[/b]."[/p]