Wembanyama on brink of suspension as Spurs trail Knicks in Finals
The NBA’s review process and accumulating penalties place the Spurs’ star centre in a precarious position as the series shifts to San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama has been assessed a flagrant one foul for elbowing New York Knicks centre Karl-Anthony Towns during the third quarter of Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals. The incident, which occurred while Wembanyama was defending Towns, brings his total flagrant foul points to three for the postseason, placing him one point away from an automatic one-game suspension under league regulations.
The San Antonio Spurs are currently trailing the series against the Knicks, having lost the first two games. The accumulation of flagrant points adds a layer of strategic complexity to the remaining fixtures, as any further flagrant foul will result in an automatic suspension. The Spurs will need to navigate Games 5 and 6 with heightened caution, particularly as the series potentially moves toward a decisive Game 7.
Prior to this incident, the league reviewed a shove by Wembanyama on Jalen Brunson during the first quarter of Game 3. Although the NBA admitted that a common foul should have been called on the play, officials declined to upgrade it to a flagrant foul. This decision allowed Wembanyama to enter Game 4 with only two points. Had the incident been upgraded, combined with the current standing, Wembanyama would have been suspended for Game 5.
Wembanyama’s flagrant points originated in the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he accumulated two points for an elbow to Naz Reid’s neck. The current tally of three points means that a flagrant foul in Game 5 would result in a suspension for Game 6. If a Game 7 is played, a flagrant foul in Game 6 would eliminate Wembanyama from that contest.
Should Wembanyama receive a flagrant one in Game 7, he would be permitted to finish the game but would subsequently be suspended for the opening night of the following season. The Rams are aware that any physical escalation or frustration could cost them a critical Finals game, a development that serves the Knicks, who won the first two games before the Spurs began to compete more effectively in the subsequent matches.
