Victor Wembanyama, Naz Reid - Playoffs - San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves evened their series against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night, 2-2, making their second round 2026 NBA Playoff matchup into a best-of-three.
Of course, they did it without San Antonio’s Defensive Player of the Year, 22-year-old phenom, Victor Wembanyama, for most of the game, after he decided it was time for an intimate meeting between his right elbow and the throat/chin area of Naz Reid, leading to his ejection.
Victor Wembanyama has been ejected after receiving a flagrant foul penalty 2 for elbowing Naz Reid 👀
Good or bad call? 🤔
pic.twitter.com/yltTvaYS2R
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 11, 2026
The Wolves were up 36-34 at the time of Wemby’s ejection, and the Spurs held things together rather impressively, in his absence.
In the end, it wasn’t enough against Minnesota and their non-ejected superstar, Anthony Edwards, who went for 36 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 40 minutes played. Wembanyama left the game after just 12 minutes on the floor. He finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist.
Mitch Johnson says Wemby’s elbow was an act of self-defense
Afterwards, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was not upset with his 7’4″ unicorn. In fact, quite the opposite. He seemed proud of Wemby for standing up for himself and said that if the refs aren’t going to do it, then someone has to.
Then, when asked if he thought the elbow was intentional, Johnson said that he “by no means thought it was intentional”… which is interesting since protecting yourself is usually an intentional act.
Mitch Johnson, more angry than we've ever seen him publicly.
Says the refs have not protected Wemby. Feels he's getting hit on every play. pic.twitter.com/ylxtE6SOfN
— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) May 11, 2026
“The amount of physicality that people play with [Wembanyama], at some level, you have to protect yourself. Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him.
I get it, we get it, that’s part of the game. But at some stage — he’s gotten chucked, he’s gotten pushed down in transition, running freely, all the stuff. He doesn’t complain one time, we don’t complain because we’re just gonna play. We don’t really give a shit, excuse my language.
But at some stage, he should be protected and, if not, he’s gonna have to protect himself.”
Mitch Johnson – press conference (above)
The Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs will play again on Tuesday, in game 5. In all likelihood, Webanyama will be on the floor.
Unlike what Mitch claims, the elbow was 100% intentional, you can even see him look back at Naz before he delivers the blow. However, there’s no way they sit him for another game, not after he sat most of Sunday’s.
Mentioned in this article: Naz Reid NBA Playoffs San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama
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