Victor Wembanyama ejected from Game 4 for elbowing Naz Reid

MINNEAPOLIS — San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama skilled his first profession ejection Sunday in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals after throwing an elbow on the jaw of Minnesota Timberwolves ahead Naz Reid early within the second quarter.

While Spurs coach Mitch Johnson did not condone Wembanyama’s actions, he stated after San Antonio’s 114-109 loss that officers might do a greater job of defending the 22-year-old massive man from the “physicality” routinely imposed on him by opponents.

“Just the amount of physicality that people play with him, at some level, you have to protect yourself,” Johnson stated after the Spurs’ defeat, which evened the collection at 2-2 forward of Tuesday’s Game 5 in San Antonio. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on you. He’s gotten pushed down in transition, running freely. We don’t complain because we’re just going to play. We don’t really give a s—. But at some stage, he should be protected. If not, he’s going to have to protect himself, and unfortunately, stuff like that happens.

“It’s beginning to get disgusted when it comes to when he tries to combat by way of issues, be skilled and mature and take care of a few of that stuff. I’m glad he took issues into his personal palms. Not when it comes to hitting Naz Reid, however he will have to guard himself if they don’t seem to be. And I feel it is disgusting.”

Wembanyama was whistled for an offensive foul as soon as he struck Reid, who had swarmed the NBA Defensive Player of the Year outside the paint along with Wolves teammate Jaden McDaniels after the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama rebounded a missed 3-pointer by the Spurs.

After a video review of the hit — which caught Reid on the right side of his jaw and neck area, sending him spinning and crashing to the floor — referee Zach Zarba announced the foul was upgraded to a flagrant 2 for excessive contact above the neck. That penalty triggers an automatic ejection.

“His left arm was being held, and I feel everybody’s taught [to] chin [the] ball,”Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox he stated. “But these issues occur. I feel if the foul known as [before that]it in all probability by no means occurs.”

Sitting on the bench when the penalty was introduced, Wembanyama appeared to ask teammate Harrison Barnes“What does that imply?”

After Wembanyama slapped hands with each of his Spurs teammates on his way off the floor, with the arena sound system blaring Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” Reid sank both free throws to give the Timberwolves a 38-34 lead. Wembanyama finished with four points, four rebounds and three fouls in 13 minutes.

“You might see the frustration,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper he stated. “I do not suppose it was intentional. It was extra like, ‘They hold grabbing me. I’m making an attempt to guard myself as a result of ain’t nobody else going to guard me.'”