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The San Antonio Spurs will have to play Game 3 without Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama has been ruled out against the Portland Trail Blazers as he remains in the NBA’s concussion protocol, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X on April 24. The update comes after Wembanyama had been listed as questionable earlier in the day and had traveled with the team to Portland while continuing through the league’s required clearance process.

That makes Game 3 a much different challenge for San Antonio. The first-round series is tied 1-1 after Portland’s 106-103 comeback win in Game 2, and the Spurs now have to try to regain control of the matchup without the player who shapes almost everything they do defensively.

Victor Wembanyama’s Absence Changes Spurs’ Game 3 Plan

Wembanyama suffered the concussion during Game 2 after a hard fall and did not return. He had five points and four rebounds in 12 minutes before exiting, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

The Spurs had reason for some optimism before the final ruling. Wembanyama participated in portions of shootaround at Moda Center, and teammate Dylan Harper said the team was hopeful as Wembanyama continued progressing through the protocol. The San Antonio Express-News reported that Luke Kornet was expected to start if Wembanyama could not play.

That expected adjustment is now the central basketball question for San Antonio.

Kornet can give the Spurs size, screening and some rim protection, but there is no clean one-for-one replacement for Wembanyama’s defensive coverage. Portland’s guards can attack more directly without having to account for his length at the rim, and the Trail Blazers’ frontcourt can play with a different level of comfort on rolls, cuts and offensive rebounds.

The Spurs’ guards also lose one of their most important pressure releases. Wembanyama’s presence forces defenses to make uncomfortable choices — help early, switch size onto the ball, or live with lobs and late contests. Without him, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Harper will likely have to create more clean advantages off the dribble.

NBA Concussion Protocol Made a Quick Return Complicated

This was never as simple as whether Wembanyama felt better by tipoff.

Under the NBA’s concussion policy summary, a player diagnosed with a concussion cannot return to full participation for at least 48 hours after the injury and must complete a return-to-participation process. That process includes increasing exertion levels such as stationary bike work, jogging, agility work and non-contact team drills, with symptom checks along the way. The policy also notes that there is no fixed timeline because every concussion and recovery is different.

A player must be symptom-free at rest, evaluated by a qualified physician, complete the exertion process and have the return decision handled in accordance with the NBA Concussion Program requirements before being cleared.

That context matters because Wembanyama being active at shootaround was encouraging but not the same as full clearance for playoff basketball. The final designation confirms the Spurs either did not get through the required steps in time or did not receive the necessary clearance.