Victor Wembanyama is officially listed as “questionable” for Game 3 in Portland.
Victor Wembanyama is officially listed as “questionable” for Friday night’s Game 3 between the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers, according to the latest injury report. Wembanyama remains in concussion protocol after exiting Game 2 early, which means his availability is still dependent on medical clearance before tipoff.
It’s a meaningful development for San Antonio, as the questionable designation keeps the door open for Wembanyama to return in Portland. At the same time, concussion protocol makes this a fluid situation. Unlike a typical ankle, knee or soreness-related designation, Wembanyama has to continue progressing through the necessary neurological steps before being cleared.
For Portland, the preparation becomes more complicated. The Blazers have to be ready for the version of San Antonio that has its franchise star back in the lineup, but also for the possibility that Wembanyama misses another game and the Spurs are forced to adjust their rotation again.
And since it got attention this week with the Blazers posting cryptic videos on social media, it’s also been confirmed via the injury report that Damian Lillard is still out. Blazers coach Tiago Splitter has doubled down on the fact that he isn’t slated to return to action until next season.
Whether or not Wembanyama plays, this will be a difficult matchup for the Blazers. The Spurs are loaded with talent, and while they’ll need him to potentially win a title this season, the gap in talent between Portland and San Antonio is still enough for the Spurs to win without him in this particular series.