Victor Wembanyama's concussion puts Spurs in peril the Lakers avoided without Luka Doncic - BERITAJA

Towering superstar Victor Wembanyama toppled onto his face Tuesday nighttime — timberrr!!! — and the NBA playoff script instantly became arsenic scrambled arsenic the San Antonio Spurs’ 7-foot-4 center’s thoughts must person been moments aft he suffered a concussion.

Without Wembanyama for about 3 quarters, the Spurs fell to the underdog Portland Trail Blazers, 106-103, pinch the first-round bid tied 1-1 and headed to Portland for Game 3 connected Friday.

Meanwhile, without superstar defender Luka Doncic, the Lakers powered past the Houston Rockets, 101-94, to return a 2-0 bid lead. Guard tandem Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard combined pinch the ageless LeBron James to dress up for the absence of injuries to Doncic arsenic good arsenic chap starting defender Austin Reaves.

Peering forward, an extended absence by Wembanyama would look to spot the Spurs successful superior jeopardy of a first-round exit. After all, “Wemby” is the league’s protect subordinate of the twelvemonth successful summation to averaging 25 points and 11.5 rebounds a game. He is simply a two-way unit of unprecedented magnitude.

Meanwhile, the Lakers person responded to the nonaccomplishment of Doncic truthful good that Times columnist Bill Plaschke declared “believe it, this bid is already over” aft their Game 2 triumph Tuesday night. The absence of Doncic and his 33.3 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds a crippled was masked by the exceptional play of teammates.

Does that make Wembanyana much valuable than Doncic? Does it raise Wembanyana’s NBA Most Valuable Player credentials to the level of chap finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic?

That’s a taxable worthy debating connected different day. For now, the pertinent questions are really severely Wembanyana is injured and really agelong will he beryllium sidelined. The Spurs and Trail Blazers play Game 3 connected Friday night, Game 4 connected Sunday and Game 5 connected Tuesday night. The median clip mislaid to concussion successful the NBA is 7 days.

“He has a concussion and he is successful the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said afterward. “We’ll evidently return the due and due steps.”

A subordinate successful concussion protocol must person astatine slightest 48 hours of inactivity and acquisition neurological testing while gathering definite criteria without symptoms earlier being cleared to play. A determination connected clearance will travel from the NBA concussion protocol head Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher successful consultation pinch the Spurs’ squad doctor.

The wounded occurred early successful the 2nd quarter. After backing into the overgarment pinch the ball, Wembanyama turned to detonate toward the basket. Portland defender Jrue Holiday executed a maneuver termed “pulling the chair” — moving wholly distant from the Spurs center, who intelligibly was expecting contact.

Wembanyama lurched forward, toppled and slammed the correct broadside of his look connected the floor. He stayed down for respective seconds earlier sitting up and putting his hands connected his face. Television expert Reggie Miller exclaimed, “He is dazed.” Wembanyama yet stood and jogged straight to the locker room. He did not return.

Meanwhile astatine Crypto.com Arena, Doncic and Reaves shouted from the chair passim the Lakers’ inspired dismantling of the Rockets. Smart scored 25 points and Kennard added 23.

“I cognize we conscionable benignant of flipped the switch,” Kennard said. “We told each other, this is what we sewage correct now. We’ve sewage to judge successful what we have.”

Added Smart: “The connection is, ‘elevate’ for us, and that’s each we’ve been trying to do, is elevate our play connected some ends.”

Wembanyana’s backup is Luke Kornet, who has played for six teams since going undrafted retired of Vanderbilt successful 2017. He was effective during a 14-minute stint successful the Spurs’ Game 1 triumph complete Portland and had 10 points and 9 rebounds successful Game 2 aft Wembanyana exited. He’ll request to measurement up the measurement Smart and Kennard person for the Lakers.

Injuries are inevitable. How teammates respond erstwhile a superstar is sidelined provides penetration connected aggregate levels. So far, the nonaccomplishment of Doncic — and Reaves — has been flooded by the Lakers while the nonaccomplishment of Wembanyama could cripple the Spurs.