NBA: Wembanyama's Brunson shove not upgraded
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Monty McCutchen admitted on ESPN's NBA Today that the shove by Victor Wembanyama on Jalen Brunson in Game 3 should have been called a foul, but the league did not upgrade it to a flagrant foul.
- Victor Wembanyama currently holds two flagrant foul points from a flagrant‑2 on Naz Reid, meaning a flagrant‑1 on Brunson would have put him one point shy of the automatic suspension triggered by four flagrant foul points in a postseason.
- The NBA decided on Tuesday night not to upgrade the Brunson shove to a flagrant foul, keeping Wembanyama eligible for Game 4.
- Jalen Brunson was shoved by Wembanyama’s head into the ground with under five minutes left in the first quarter of Game 3, a play that initially drew no foul call.
- Mike Brown criticized the officiating after the Knicks’ Game 3 loss, noting a disparity of 24 free‑throw attempts for New York versus eight for San Antonio in the second half.
- Mitchell Robinson had his Game 2 technical foul for shoving Wembanyama rescinded, illustrating the league’s willingness to adjust other calls in the series.
Why it matters: Spurs retain Wembanyama’s services for Game 4, avoiding a possible flagrant‑1 that would have put him one point shy of a postseason suspension, while the NBA’s admission of a missed foul underscores officiating lapses that have already sparked criticism from Knicks coach Mike Brown.
Ask SkimNews
