Wembanyama leaves Game 2 with concussion as Spurs fall to Portland

Victor Wembanyama’s night ended in the second quarter, and the Spurs’ playoff cushion disappeared soon after. San Antonio lost 106-103 to the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center, a defeat that evened the first-round series at 1-1 and turned a promising home start into a test of depth, health and postseason composure.

Wembanyama hit his jaw and face on the court with 8:57 left in the second quarter after being fouled by Jrue Holiday as he spun around the Portland guard in the paint. He stayed down for about 30 seconds, sat up briefly with teammate Stephon Castle, and then left through the tunnel after Spurs coach Mitch Johnson called timeout. Johnson later said, “He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” leaving San Antonio to navigate the rest of the game without its most dynamic player.

The injury carried immediate playoff consequences. The NBA’s 2025-26 concussion policy is built to maximize player health and safety through education and clinical management, and the current return-to-play process does not allow a player to rush back simply because symptoms fade. A player cannot return for at least 48 hours after entering concussion protocol, which puts Wembanyama’s availability for Game 3 in Portland into doubt and forces the Spurs to plan for a series swing without knowing when their centerpiece can rejoin the lineup.

Portland made San Antonio pay. The Trail Blazers erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and finished the comeback with Scoot Henderson scoring 31 points. The rally produced Portland’s first playoff win in five years and turned what had looked like a Spurs-controlled series into a far more volatile matchup. Game 3 was scheduled for Friday at the Moda Center, with Game 4 set for Sunday, both in Portland.

The stakes are magnified because Wembanyama had arrived in the series with force. In San Antonio’s 111-98 Game 1 victory, he scored 35 points in his playoff debut, the most by a Spurs player in a postseason debut, and helped deliver the franchise’s first playoff victory in seven years. That performance made the series one of the opening round’s marquee draws; his exit in Game 2 made the league’s concussion and star-protection rules central to what happens next.

If Wembanyama cannot clear protocol quickly, San Antonio’s offense, rim protection and pace all become more vulnerable. If he does return, the Spurs still have a path back, but Tuesday’s finish showed how one injured star and one late Portland surge can flip a series in a matter of minutes.