Victor Wembanyama’s rare first-half ejection shifted the momentum of the game for the San Antonio Spurs, leaving them without their most dominant player when they had a chance to take a 3-1 series lead. The rookie’s elbow, seen as a sign of inexperience from a first-time playoff participant, sparked debate about his judgment and the consequences that followed.
However, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson stood by the 22-year-old, citing the relentless physicality Wembanyama faces nightly. “The amount of physicality people play with him—at some level, you have to protect yourself. On every single play, across every part of the floor, opponents are trying to impose their physicality on him,” Johnson explained.
In the previous game, Rudy Gobert grabbed Wembanyama’s arm to prevent a block, and Anthony Edwards pulled a similar move that went uncalled. Julius Randle also used his strength to pin the Spurs center. Even in the ejection game, Wembanyama battled Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels without managing a clean rebound.
Johnson refused to label Wembanyama’s reaction as immature. Instead, he pointed the blame at the officials, arguing they pushed the reigning Defensive Player of the Year past his limit. “I’m glad he took matters into his own hands. Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid—I want to be very clear about that, and I’m glad Naz is okay—but Wemby’s going to have to protect himself if the refs are not,” Johnson said.
The Spurs head coach emphasized that he did not intend for Reid to be hit with an elbow, but he used the moment to highlight the officiating imbalance. Standing at 7’4″, many typical methods of disrupting a player’s rhythm do not work on Wembanyama. The Timberwolves, known for their physical style, thrive regardless of risk. Johnson called for greater balance from referees, though he acknowledged that Wembanyama’s defensive actions—such as his goaltending during a historic 12-block performance—also draw scrutiny. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was vocal about those calls, suggesting the issue cuts both ways. “The referees need to be better,” Johnson concluded after the game.
Even after his ejection, Wembanyama showed no frustration. He shook hands with every member of the Spurs coaching staff and players, maintaining confidence in the team’s ability to win without him. That belief nearly paid off. The Spurs stormed back in the second half, holding Minnesota to just 20 points in the third quarter and taking a lead. “Had a chance to win. Things we could have been better at. Didn’t close it out the way we wanted to, but I thought the reaction was obviously phenomenal. We were leading there till the end, then they made some shots. We didn’t finish possessions with rebounds, and got some tough whistles,” Johnson said of the team’s effort.
