Victor Wembanyama was assessed a flagrant 1 foul for elbowing New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns in the face in the third quarter of the Knicks’ improbable comeback against the Spurs in NBA Finals Game 4 on Wednesday. Wembanyama and the Spurs blew a 29-point lead at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks pulled off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. The Knicks lead the series 3-1 and the Spurs are now on the brink of elimination.
To make matters worse, that flagrant foul, combined with another Wemby committed in the playoffs, has a chance to be significant.
When a player accumulates four flagrant foul points in a single postseason, he is automatically suspended for one game. Wembanyama accumulated two flagrant foul points in the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves when he elbowed Naz Reid in the neck. While playing defense against Towns in Game 4 of the Finals, he picked up his third. Assuming this one is not overturned upon review, that would mean that one more flagrant foul on Wembanyama would lead to an automatic suspension.
A flagrant in Game 5 would automatically lead to a suspension for Wembanyama in Game 6, and if there is a Game 7, a flagrant foul in Game 6 would eliminate him from it. If Wembanyama were to commit a flagrant 1 foul in Game 7, he would be able to finish the game, but would get suspended for opening night of next season.
One of the big stories between Games 3 and 4 of the Finals was whether or not Wembanyama’s shove on Jalen Brunson would be upgraded to a flagrant foul after the fact. That play came in the first quarter of Game 3 and was missed by the officials entirely. While fighting for position with Brunson, Wembanyama seemingly shoved his head.
While the NBA admitted that a common foul should have been called on the play, it ultimately was not upgraded, allowing Wembanyama to enter Game 4 with only two flagrant foul points. Had it been upgraded and this one stood, he would have been suspended for Game 5.
Now Wembanyama will have to be extremely careful in Game 5 (and 6 if the Spurs can pull off a win on Saturday). If he crosses the line once, gets a little bit too physical or frustrated, then that could cost him a Finals game.
