Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion after his nasty fall in Game 2 against Portland. How soon can San Antonio expect him back?
The Spurs' Game 2 loss to Portland came with more bad news than just a defeat, as Victor Wembanyama was knocked out of the game after a terrifying fall early in the game.
Wemby later entered into the concussion protocol and was formally diagnosed with a concussion on Tuesday night. For those unfamiliar with the unusual injury in the NBA, here's how that could affect San Antonio moving forward.
The league's protocol requires 48 hours of time away from the court following the injury, which would theoretically make the Spurs' leader eligible to return to action as early as Thursday night.
With Game 3 not tipping off until late Friday night from Rip City, could that mean that San Antonio will miss no time with Wembanyama?
NBA insider Shams Charania chimed in during an appearance on ESPN's NBA Today Wednesday.
"I'm told that Victor Wembanyama did report to the Spurs facility this morning, and his status is uncertain for Game 3...Wembanyama is hopeful to travel with the team to Portland on Thursday...The Spurs are taking this very much day-by-day with Wemby," reported Charania.
As previously mentioned, Wembanyama cannot take part in full, unrestricted team activities until Thursday night, but Charania explained that he can start doing less intensive work as early as Wednesday night.
After a scary sight and unfortunate news on Tuesday, the news has started to become better for the Spurs. For there even to be a possibility that Wemby returns in time for Friday's Game 3 is a huge boost for fans and the team alike.
Another question is does Wembanyama head to Portland just to be ready for Game 4? It could make sense for the Spurs to want Wembanyama at their disposal even if they know he won't play in the first game in Portland, especially now that they could be staring down a 3-1 deficit if they get swept on the road.
While it definitely is not what Spurs fans hoped for following a magical return to the NBA main stage during the regular season, there is still hope for San Antonio.
Even without Wembanyama, the Spurs showcased their grit in the narrow Game 2 loss and performed well in his absence throughout the regular season. It is very possible that San Antonio can grab one or maybe even both games in Portland without Wembanyama and allow him to be fully healthy for a hypothetical next series.
All anyone involved with the Spurs can do is wait and see how the injury timeline affects Wembanyama, while also putting themselves in the best position for success when he does return to the court.