Victor Wembanyama did not make it to halftime in Game 4 of the Spurs-Timberwolves series in Minneapolis. After an elbow to Minnesota reserve Naz Reid sent referees to the monitor in the second quarter, the San Antonio star was hit with an automatic ejection. A tight game suddenly turned on its head, leaving the Spurs without their franchise big man despite coming in with a 2–1 lead in the series.
The play and the call
On the fateful possession, Wembanyama grabbed an offensive rebound and got tied up with Jaden McDaniels and Reid in the lane. As he tried to clear space, his elbow swung and caught Reid in the throat area. After a review, officials ruled the contact "excessive and above the shoulders, qualifying for a flagrant 2 and automatic ejection," according to The New York Times. The decision came early in the second quarter and instantly removed San Antonio’s most important on-court weapon.
Immediate impact and stat line
Before being sent to the locker room, Wembanyama had put up four points and four rebounds in 12 minutes, per Larry Brown Sports. His exit forced the Spurs to reshuffle their rotations on the fly. With the game still close in the second quarter, the timing amplified the hit to San Antonio’s game plan and momentum.
Crowd reaction and bench scene
The Target Center crowd exploded once the ejection was announced, with Timberwolves fans loudly calling for Wembanyama to be tossed. After the ruling, Wembanyama walked to the bench and high‑fived teammates before heading off, a moment captured and described by The New York Times. It went down as the first ejection of his NBA career, which gives the play significance that stretches beyond just one postseason night.
Why this changes the series
Losing a franchise centerpiece in a playoff game changes everything in a hurry. Matchups, minutes and offensive hierarchy all have to be reworked on the spot. For the rest of Game 4, the Spurs need other players to soak up usage, protect the rim and keep their composure long enough to protect their 2–1 series edge and, if necessary, carry those adjustments into a potential Game 5.
On the other side, Minnesota picks up a major jolt of momentum. A fired-up home crowd, a high-profile call going the Wolves’ way and extra breathing room in the paint combine into exactly the kind of swing that role players and reserves tend to feed off.
What the league can do next
Under NBA rules, a flagrant 2 is reserved for contact deemed "unnecessary and excessive" and comes with an automatic ejection. The league office can still review the play afterward and issue supplemental discipline, including fines or a suspension, depending on its evaluation, Sporting News notes. Any extra punishment would be announced by the NBA’s disciplinary office in the hours or days following the game.
For now, the fallout is strictly on the court. The Spurs have to navigate the rest of Game 4 without their best player, while the Timberwolves suddenly have an opening to ride the home crowd, press their advantage inside and try to even the series before San Antonio can regroup.
