The memory of Victor Wembanyama’s controversial play in Game 3 remains fresh in the minds of the New York Knicks. During the first quarter of the San Antonio Spurs’ triumph at Madison Square Garden, Wembanyama was seen sending Jalen Brunson to the hardwood. Surprisingly, the referees chose not to blow the whistle.
Jose Alvarado, the spirited backup guard hailing from Brooklyn, didn’t mince his words on Tuesday. “I think that’s not basketball,” he asserted. “That’s something they gotta look at. But he got away with one. That’ll be the last one.”
The NBA has the authority to review and possibly reclassify the incident as a flagrant foul after the fact. However, as of Tuesday afternoon, no such decision had been made.
Wembanyama is no stranger to scrutiny this postseason. Earlier, he was hit with a flagrant two foul for a similar aggressive move against the Timberwolves when he elbowed Minnesota forward Naz Reid in the throat, which added two penalty points to his record.
Wembanyama was already assessed a flagrant two foul earlier in the postseason against the Timberwolves for throwing an elbow at the throat of Minnesota forward Naz Reid, giving him two penalty points.
Four points triggers an immediate one-game suspension. So if he was retroactively assessed a flagrant one — that is one penalty point — he would have to be careful to avoid missing a game in the Finals.
Brunson has not directly commented on the play. When asked about it after Game 3, he said: “Whatever you saw is what you saw.”