Victor Wembanyama Concussion Changes Everything for the Blazers

With Victor Wembanyama in concussion protocol, the Blazers' path to an upset is clear. Analyzing how Portland can exploit the Spurs' interior defense to swing the series.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reacts beside guard Dylan Harper. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers are heading back to the pacific northwest with the series tied against the San Antonio Spurs, but the vibe of the series is very different after Portland's Game 2 win in the Western Conference's NBA Playoffs.

Spurs center and Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama is in the league's concussion protocol after hitting his head in the first half of Game 2. His status for the rest of the series is up in the air, but there is a chance that we may have seen the last of the former No. 1 overall pick in this series.

If Wembanyama is no longer playing for San Antonio, that completely shifts the win probability for Portland as a big underdog to a possible favorite.

Blazers Offense Opens Up

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson reacts against the Phoenix Suns. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In Game 1 with a healthy Wembanyama, the Blazers struggled to attack the paint, as most teams do against San Antonio when they are fully healthy. The Blazers were able to take advantage of not having the best defender in the league in the paint and scored a lot in the key in the second half against San Antonio.

This will allow players like Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson, and Drew Holiday the chance to drive into the lane and either score easy baskets or get fouled and sent to the free throw line.

Spurs Will Pivot

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija shoots while defended by San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

While the Spurs' chances of winning the series go down after the Wembanyama injury, they are certainly still non-zero. The Spurs were 12-6 in the 18 games Victor Wembanyama did not play in this season, suggesting they can find a way to beat the Blazers without him.

In fact, the Spurs played all three of their regular-season meetings against the Blazers with Wembanyama on the bench. The Spurs went 2-1 in those games, including a victory at the Moda Center in late November.

Blazers Must Counteract

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija after defeating the Phoenix Suns. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With the adjustments the Spurs will make in the series, the Blazers have to do the same. The Blazers can be a little bit more aggressive with these adjustments, as they will now have the best player on the floor in Avdija, who is averaging 22 points per game in the first two contests of the series so far.

If Avdija can step up and take over, the Blazers can take advantage of having home court. They might be able to shake off the second-seeded Spurs and pull off a massive playoff upset.