The Spurs survived Game 3 at Portland without Victor Wembanyama, and he may not be ready to return on Sunday, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only piece. Meeting with reporters this afternoon, coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama remains in the league’s concussion protocol and his status is uncertain.
“We are still working through the process and continuing to work with the NBA,” Johnson said.
Wembanyama was a late scratch Friday night, as it wasn’t determined that he would be held out until about 90 minutes before tipoff. Orsborne notes that he went through most of his normal pre-game routine, including running sprints on the court, before a final decision was made.
“I’ve seen Victor now for three years and when he’s not on the court, he’s always champing at the bit to get out on the court,” Johnson said. “I don’t think that will ever change. And I know he’s doing everything he can to continue to do what he’s in front of to get back on the court.”
Wembanyama has been in the protocol since Tuesday, when he suffered a concussion after hitting his head on the court during a hard fall in the second quarter of Game 2. Portland was able to even the series by winning that night, but San Antonio responded by pulling away late in Game 3 to retake home court advantage.
League rules require Wembanyama to reach several benchmarks while being symptom-free before he can be cleared to play.