Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Victor Wembanyama cost his team in Game 4 and now a disciplinary decision looms

The NBA probably doesn’t have the stones to suspend Victor Wembanyama for viciously and intentionally elbowing Naz Reid in the throat, but they should. His good reputation will help his case, but chief disciplinarian James Jones has to make sure his penalty is more than a fine because there was potential for catastrophic damage and a big brawl.

It was the biggest elbow thrown in the NBA since Metta World Peace (now Metta Sandiford-Artest) brutalized James Harden in 2012 with a strike to the dome. MWP got suspended for seven games.

Thank goodness Reid is OK, but if that elbow had flown higher, we could be talking about a fractured jaw with teeth on the court, or a broken orbital bone. It doesn’t matter that Wembanyama was being held and fouled hard because he overreacted.

Had he stayed in the game, there’s a good chance the San Antonio Spurs would have taken a 3-1 lead. Anthony Edwards had to go HAM, scoring 16 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter. Now the Minnesota Timberwolves remain dangerous as the series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5. Keep in mind that the winner of a Game 5 when both teams are tied at 2-2 advances 81.5 percent of the time.

Naturally, some will jump to this reality: if it were Draymond Green, he’d get suspended, like he was for one game in the 2023 playoffs, among many occasions, for stomping on Domantas Sabonis’ ribs, after his ankle was held.

Wemby waited at the bench for a referee review and appeared to not know the rule, making an ejection mandatory for a Flagrant Two.

It’s a decision that will have huge consequences for the series, and no way both teams will be satisfied. Still, the league shouldn’t create any impression that they are soft on hostile acts because things could backfire with more elbows or fisticuffs flying. 

As for Wemby, some opponents will back off because he means business when you get rough with him, but others will test his limits to see if he loses his head in an another important game.