Victor Wembanyama is in concussion protocol as the San Antonio Spurs head to Portland in a tied series. Julian Champagnie said Thursday the team knows exactly what it has to do differently in Game 3.
The San Antonio Spurs are heading to Portland for Game 3 on Friday with their best player in concussion protocol and a series tied at one game apiece. Victor Wembanyama crashed face-first into the floor at Frost Bank Center during the second quarter of Game 2 after colliding with Jrue Holiday in the paint.
The Blazers rallied from a 14-point deficit in the final 8:18 to win 106-103, evening the series. Wembanyama has been cleared to travel with the team to Portland but his status for Game 3 remains uncertain.
Julian Champagnie spoke to reporters during Thursday's practice availability and made clear the team knows exactly what changes when Wembanyama is not on the floor.
"He's a big piece of our defense, probably the biggest piece," Champagnie said. "Going into Game 3, it's going to be a lot more physical, a lot more need for rebounding and playing one-on-one defense."
Champagnie has been one of the more consistent contributors for San Antonio through the first two games. In Game 1, an 111-98 Spurs win on Sunday, he logged 30 minutes and contributed six points and three steals, doing his best work on the defensive end as San Antonio held Portland to 98 points.
In Game 2 he finished with nine points and two blocks, including a 3-pointer that briefly extended San Antonio's lead in the fourth quarter before Portland's 11-2 closing run sealed the comeback.
Champagnie averaged 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds during the regular season and has shown steady two-way play in a series that demands more from the supporting cast with Wembanyama unavailable.
On the offensive side, Champagnie acknowledged the Spurs were not sharp enough down the stretch in Game 2.
"We weren't as sharp as we could have been, offensively and defensively," he said. "We have to go out there and make the right plays."
He also pointed to team chemistry as the foundation San Antonio needs to lean on heading into Portland.
"I think we have to really hone back in on what that time looked like and just get back to that," Champagnie said, referencing the collective play that drove the Spurs' 62-20 regular season.
Game 3 tips off Friday night in Portland at 9:30 p.m. CST on Prime Video.